Children of the Ookami
by DistanceMaster
Summary: Two years have passed since the battle with Himura Utake and Kakashi and Iruka's relationship is still going strong. Shinobu is seven and the couple want more kids. Sudden news makes the happy couple even happier. Mpreg. KakaxIru. Side GaaraxNeji.
1. Chapter 1

**The sequel has arrived! Two years have passed so Shinobu is now seven years old. This will center mostly on Kakashi and Iruka, but Neji and Gaara will make appearances.**

**Summary: Iruka meets with Tsunade to ask for a month of leave from his duties as a ninja.**

Chapter 1

Iruka stood in the Hokage's office, waiting. He was in a relaxed stance, his shoulders loose, hands clasped behind his back. The majority of his weight was balanced on his right leg, giving his posture a slight slant. He was dressed in the typical uniform of a Konoha ninja: black pants, black shirt, and flack jacket. His hair was pulled up into its signature ponytail at the back of his head. Reaching up, the Chuunin lightly scratched the scar over his nose with a clawed finger. His dark tail, which was longer and thinner than that of most of his kind, was still behind him, the tip resting slightly on the floor.

The door opened and Iruka glanced over his shoulders. Tsunade practically stormed into the office, muttering something under her breath about damn old council men. Smiling, Iruka faced forward as Tsunade approached the desk. Flopping down in the chair, the Hokage studied him for a moment.

"Shizune tells me that you're here to ask for a month of a leave," Tsunade said.

"I am and, if you give it to me, I already have a substitute lined up for my class," Iruka replied.

"Why do you need a month? I gave you and Kakashi both a few days off two months ago," Tsunade snorted.

"This has nothing to do with Kakashi. Dr. Tsuka (1) has asked me to come to Suna for the remainder of Neji's pregnancy," the Ookami of winter said.

"Why? We sent him there because he's the only doctor in the world who knows anything about male Ookami pregnancies," the Hokage reminded him.

"Yes, but Dr. Tsuka has never actually been through the birth itself," Iruka sighed. "And I'm the only one alive who has."

Groaning slightly, Tsunade slumped further down in her chair, her twin pigtails catching on the top of backrest. She thought in silence for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, you have a month's leave. Neji may no longer be a Konoha shinobi, but he's still a friend to us."

Bowing, Iruka quickly left the room. As he walked through the Tower, a few people, representatives and shinobi from other villages mostly, turned to stare at him. Despite their species now being openly accepted in all five villages, they were still a rare sight to see in Iwagakure and Kirigakure. Iruka had grown used to the stares and odd looks, but so had the people of Konoha. They no longer found it odd to see the Ookami walking around in any of this three forms.

Iruka quickly found the mission room and stepped inside. The other Chuunin who worked part-time with him there all greeted the Ookami as he walked by. Finding his desk, Iruka started to clear it of papers, returning scrolls and the like to the resting places on the shelves that filled the room. Just as he was about to finish and say good bye to the others, the door of the mission room slid open again.

"Hey Iru, read to go?" Kakashi asked as he poked his head in.

"For once, you have perfect timing," Iruka laughed, throwing his bag full of student work over one shoulder.

Iruka walked over to his lover and they kissed lightly.

"Get a room!" one of the other Chuunin called after the couple as they left.

Kakashi rested his arm on Iruka's back, one hand protectively wrapped around his far hip. He nuzzled against his lover's hair as they walked, taking a deep breath.

"Do you always have to do that?" Iruka asked.

"Of course. I just love the way you smell so much," the Jounin replied.

Sighing, Iruka rolled his eyes as they stepped out of the Tower.

"Aren't you supposed to be watching Shinobu?" the teacher asked.

"He's been playing with Arata all day. They're fine. Besides, Pakkun is watching them."

"That actually makes me feel slightly better."

"Hey! I'm a great babysitter."

"Yes. You wear the hell out of them, but there has been a fair share of accidents whenever you watch our son. Like last week when you almost burned our house down by practicing lightning jutsu in the living room. At least, Pakkun has some common sense."

"Are you in a prissy mood or is that just me?" Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just you," Iruka said.

He smiled and kissed the Jounin on the cheek.

"Tsunade gave me a month to spend with Neji."

"That's good. When will you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, most likely. You can never be sure about these things so I want to get there as soon as possible."

Hugging his lover close, Kakashi smiled down at him.

"I'm sure it'll all be fine. It's Neji," he laughed.

"That's part of the problem. He ignores pain like it's a fly that keeps landing on his shoulder. Thank god that it gets to a point where he won't be able to ignore it or we'd be walking down the street and the baby would be born right there," Iruka sighed.

"It is really that bad?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka shrugged.

"Most of what's bad is from the body changing to accommodate the birth itself in the couple of hours after labor starts. The rest of it is just the same as any woman's," the teacher explained.

"Have either of them said what the gender is?"

"Nope. Apparently, they want it to be a surprise."

"Speaking of which, when are we going to have another?"

Kakashi's eyes twinkled mischievously, garnering him a slight punch to the arm from Iruka.

"Let's get through Neji's pregnancy first. Having one male Ookami with child in the world is bad enough without suddenly adding his cousin into the mix."

Turning onto their street, the couple saw two boys playing up ahead. Pakkun was sitting at the edge of the Hatake family yard, watching them. One of the boys, whose hair was stark white, quickly looked up and smiled, his brown eyes growing big.

"Welcome home, Papa!" Shinobu shouted.

"Have you two been good today?" Iruka asked as he walked over to the two boys.

"Yes, Umino-sensei," Arata replied.

"Are you staying for dinner, Arata-kun?" Kakashi asked.

The small, dark-haired boy shook his head.

"Mom is going to pick me up soon."

"Well come inside both of you. It's getting dark and I don't want you two out on the street," Iruka said, heading towards the house.

Scampering after him, the two boys ran up the front steps and into the Hatake compound with Iruka and Kakashi close behind. Pakkun followed at his master's heels.

It took Iruka two and a half days to reach Sunagakure. The dry heat of the desert was not something he was used to and slowed the Chuunin down quite a bit, despite the high volume of water he'd brought with him for the journey. When he finally reached the gates of Suna, Iruka felt so happy that he almost broke down in tears. However, he kept himself composed and approached the gate with his head high. The guards, who'd been alerted to his coming, leapt down from their posts to greet him.

"Umino-sensei, welcome to Suna," one of the guards said. "The Kazekage asked us to show you the way to his apartment."

"What about your guard duties?" Iruka asked, motioning to the gates.

"The Kazekage switched around the shifts today. The next two guards will be here soon."

Right on time, two ninja landed softly on top of the gates, having jumped from the roof of a nearby building. Iruka met their eyes and smiled. Neither of the two new guards returned the gesture.

"Follow us, Umino-sensei," the second guard said cheerfully. "I'm Akira, by the way, and he's Gorou."

"It's nice to meet you," Iruka replied.

"Are you really Neji-san's cousin?" Akira asked. "I hardly see a resemblance."

"Neji looks like a typical Hyuuga, not an Umino. We didn't even know we were related until a few years ago," Iruka laughed.

"But doesn't that make you an Ookami as well?" Gorou asked as they wove through the streets.

"I am. My area of nature is winter."

"So you control snow and ice and all of that?" Akira asked, his eyes growing wide.

Iruka nodded and chuckled at the younger man's wonder.

"I've never seen snow. We never get it here," Akira murmured.

"It isn't very common in Konoha either," the teacher said. "Our climate is too humid and warm for snow or ice to last very long, even in winter."

"Ah, here we are, Umino-sensei."

Iruka looked up at the large series of adobe apartments that stood before him. There were much bigger than any he'd seen in Konoha before and almost seemed to be carved of sand and rock. Suddenly, one of the windows opened and Neji leaned out of it, smiling.

"Iruka! Apartment 14, second floor!" he called out to them.

Smiling, Iruka nodded to the guards and headed into the apartment building. He easily jogged up the tiled steps to the second floor, his stride quickening as he walked down the hall. A door opened at the far end and Neji stepped out, grinning.

"How are you?" Iruka asked.

He hugged his cousin lightly, being mindful of the large bump that separated them.

"I'm good. How are you?" Neji asked as he walked back into the apartment.

"Fine. I knew the desert was hot, but I didn't think it was this hot," Iruka laughed uncomfortably, closing the front door behind him.

"It takes some getting used to, but I actually enjoy it now," the former Hyuuga replied.

He slowly sat down on the couch, groaning softly. Laying a hand on his swollen abdomen, Neji took a deep breath, flexing his feet to crack his ankles. Iruka sat down next to him, giving his cousin a knowing look. He laid his pack down on the floor.

"Feet hurt?"

"Like hell. Gaara tries to help by giving me foot massages, but none of it seems to work," Neji sighed. "I can't wait until this baby is born."

"Then you'll trade aching feet for sleepless nights," Iruka said.

"I don't sleep that much right now anyway. For some reason, my kid likes kicking me late at night. It's even starting to disturb Gaara," Neji moaned.

"Maybe that'll be it's power," Iruka mused.

Neji shrugged and laid his head against the back of the couch.

"So are you ready to deal with me for the next month?" he asked.

"Whether the mood, I'll take it all. You have no idea how bad I was when I was pregnant with Shinobu. I was throwing things one minute and giddy the next."

"Yeah, but you had a better excuse than me. You were locked up in some bastard of a lord's fortress. I'm a Hyuuga. I'm supposed to be in control always."

"Maybe it's the Umino finally coming out in you."

"Perhaps."

Suddenly, the door opened and Gaara walked in, smiling softly at Iruka. He was dressed in his Kazekage uniform, the gourd of sand strapped to his back.

"Hello love," he said as he pecked Neji on the forehead.

"What are you doing home? I thought you had a meeting," Neji asked.

"Well, I decided to come home early," the Kazekage replied.

He kissed his lover softly on the lips and rubbed Neji's stomach.

"How are you two?" Gaara asked.

"The baby and I are fine, thank you," Neji replied.

"And you, Iruka?"

"I'm good as well."

"Glad to hear it. We have the spare bedroom set up for you if you want to put your stuff away and get settled."

"Thanks, Gaara, but I want to talk to you both about a couple of things first."

Frowning slightly, Gaara sat down next to his pregnant boyfriend, pulling Neji into his lap. He laid his hand protectively over Neji's abdomen while the other stroked the former Hyuuga's long hair.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Neji asked.

"No, everything's fine. It has to do with after the baby is born," Iruka said, trying to reassure them.

"Alright," Neji said slowly.

"I'm not sure if Minoru has already gone over this with you or not, but you'll both have to be extremely vigilant and careful after your baby is born," Iruka started.

"We've had protective detail on Neji since we found out about the baby," Gaara said.

"That's good, but this is much more of an inside threat than an outer one. I learned this the hard way with Shinobu. Since your baby will be an Ookami, his or her powers will be fully developed by the time he or she is born. It's a defense mechanism that all Ookami are born with. Now, their powers probably won't be strong enough to seriously hurt someone, the possibility for damage to other people is there," Iruka explained.

"So we have to be careful not the scare the baby, basically?" Neji asked.

Iruka nodded.

"When Shinobu was a week old, I accidentally woke him up from a nap and was electrocuted," the teacher laughed.

"But we have no idea what the baby's power will be," Gaara said.

"That's the other thing. Since an Ookami's dominion (2) is a mystery until after birth, you'll have to watch the newborn closely for signs of what their power might be. It can happen at any time. Daiki told me once that Rei's dominion didn't reveal itself until she was six months old. On the other hand, Shinobu's made itself apparent very early."

"Wouldn't the name that is written in the Sei no Hon give us a clue?" Neji asked.

Iruka shrugged.

"It's possible, but, then again, our Ookami names describe our dominion, but not the powers that come with it. Take mine for example. Winter could be a lot of things, but I specifically have power over snow and ice, the water aspects of it. You wouldn't know that by looking in the Sei no Hon," Iruka explained.

"You Ookami are so troublesome," Gaara chuckled, stroking Neji's stomach.

"It's good to keep you on your toes. We don't want the Kazekage loosing his skills, now do we?" Neji replied.

As they nestled against each other, Iruka felt a pang in his chest. He missed his own lover and son desperately despite being apart for less than three days. He sighed inwardly and steeled his heart a bit. There was still a month to go before he would be home again and he wanted to make the most of it. Wallowing in sadness about leaving Kakashi and Shinobu behind would not be helpful in that.

**this is Himura Utake's former retainer who'd stolen the Sei no Hon and gave information to Konoha. He was also the one that took care of Iruka when he was captured. **

**This refers to whatever aspect of Nature they control.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"It's alright, Neji! Keep going!"

"You're doing well, love."

"I'm going to kill you for this, Gaara!"

"I'm sure you will, love, but you gotta focus on this first."

Neji screamed as he sat up, rocking his hips forward to try and alleviate the pain. His grip on Gaara's hand tightened into a shaking fist. Dark hairs stuck to his forehead and cheeks from the sweat that ran down his face. Reaching around his cousin, Iruka brushed them away and pulled them back into the tight ponytail he held at the back of Neji's head.

"Lay back and rest for a moment," Dr. Tsuka said from where he sat between Neji's knees.

Groaning, Neji did as the doctor said and laid down on the bed, panting. Gaara glanced at Iruka, clearly worried. The teacher gave him a soft smile in an effort to try and reassure the Kazekage. Neji's labor had gone on for hours, having started practically in the middle of the night. Now, it was past noon and Neji was only now close.

A sudden contraction forced Neji upwards again, howling. Dark claws sprung from his fingers, burying themselves in the flesh of Gaara's hand. The Kazekage winced, but didn't make a sound, his entire being focused entirely on Neji.

"That's it Neji! Keep going! Keep going! Almost there-"

With one final push, Neji screamed and collapsed back onto the bed. A shrill shriek filled the room and relief rushed through the former Hyuuga's body. He felt drained of all energy and, in the haze, he started to laugh slightly. Concerned, Gaara leaned over his lover, throwing Iruka a worried look. The former teacher just shrugged with confused.

"Neji love?" Gaara murmured as his boyfriend laughed.

Turning his head to look at Gaara, Neji laughed, "I'm just so happy."

Gaara frowned, but was quickly cut off by a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see a nurse holding a bundle of blankets out to him.

"Your daughter, Kazekage-sama."

Slowly reaching out, Gaara took the pile of blankets in his arms. He stared down at the tiny baby at the center of it, who'd fallen strangely silent. She struggled a little bit in her constraints, but quickly settled into her father's grasp. Gaara ran a finger along her tan cheek and the eyes opened to reveal the white expanses that the Kazekage knew well: the Byakugan.

"How is she?" Neji asked, still panting slightly.

Moving to sit on the bed beside his lover, Gaara held their daughter up slightly. Neji groaned slightly as he sat up, leaning on Gaara. They stared at their child, Neji almost crying with joy. It almost seemed impossible to the couple that this day had come.

"Fuyu-sensei," Dr. Tsuka whispered in Iruka's ear. "I'm going to go help the nurse get the bloody blankets and everything downstairs. Would you mind staying and keeping an eye on them until I get back?"

"Of course," Iruka replied, nodding.

Collecting as many blankets as he could carry, Dr. Tsuka quickly left the room, the nurse following close behind. Iruka sat back in his chair and watched the new parents as they soaked themselves in love for their newborn daughter. A slight pain settled in his chest, remembering the birth of his own son. His hand unconsciously drifted down to the expanse of flesh just inside his right hip, where the curved scar would forever remain.

"Sayuri (1)," Neji murmured as he laid his hand on top of his daughter's small chest.

The baby gazed at Neji with eyes almost too wise for a baby as all those born the Byakugan did. Reaching out, Sayuri grabbed onto Neji's finger tightly, causing her fathers to both melt with happiness. Dr. Tsuka reentered the room, smiling at the couple.

"I'm sorry, but we have to take her from you for a little while. Weighing and all that," he said.

Gaara nearly snarled when he handed his daughter over to the doctor, his protective attitude suddenly extending beyond Neji. Dr. Tsuka gave him a reassuring smile before he left the room again with the small baby in his arms. Settling back against the bed, Neji moaned softly, his entire body aching.

"Go to sleep, love," Gaara murmured, stroking his lover's hair.

Neji silently nodded and his eyes fluttered closed. He reached up and grabbed Gaara's hand lightly, intertwining their fingers. Moving to lie down, Gaara curved his body to fit perfectly against Neji's side, his free hand lightly massaging Neji's scalp.

Quickly and quietly, Iruka stood up and left the room so the lovers could have a moment alone. Stealing away into his room, Iruka pulled a few sheets of paper from the bag he'd brought with him and sat down at the small desk to write. One was for Tsunade and featured some of the more gory details that Iruka knew she would want to know. The second letter was for Kakashi, alerting the Jounin that he would soon be coming home. Sighing his name at the bottom of the letters, Iruka sat back in his chair and sighed.

Spending the month with Neji had only increased Iruka's want for a second child. Although the Hyuuga had been moody enough to make him seem insane, Iruka grew somewhat jealous whenever Gaara would calm his lover down with some back rubbing and a kiss. By the time Neji had gone into labor, Iruka was missing Kakashi more than he even thought he would have and he was anxious to return home to Konoha.

Pushing the thoughts into the back of his mind, Iruka created two clones and sent them to Konoha with the message. Hopefully, with his Ookami powers and the season being winter, the clones would reach his home village sooner than usual.

**Sayuri is so adorable! I know that I haven't specified her hair color or any of that, but a lot of babies' hair changes. I was born with black hair, but it grew back in blond so I'm waiting on that. A lot are also born without hair to begin with **

**(1) means small lily.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kakashi was waiting anxiously in the kitchen, wringing his hands. He'd received the letter from Iruka over a week earlier and he'd waited up every night since then for his lover to return home. Shinobu had been asleep for hours, slumbering peacefully in his own bed while his father waited. Sighing, the Jounin sat back in his chair and glanced at the clock. 1:30. It was doubtful that Iruka would be home tonight.

As he stood up to walk to the master bedroom, Kakashi heard faint footsteps and a sliding door. His heart leapt into his throat as he dashed into the front hall, eyes wide. Iruka was at the front door, yanking off his shinobi sandals. He frowned and scowled at the straps as he tried to get them off as quickly as possible.

"Damn sh-"

Iruka stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he straightened right up into a fierce kiss. Before he could say anything, Kakashi's tongue slipped into his mouth, licking and exploring its old territory. The teacher moaned softly as he leaned into the Jounin, his arms snaking around Kakashi's back. Fingers roughly grabbed his hair as Kakashi slammed Iruka into the wall, moving his body as close to his lover's as possible.

The two men caressed each other harshly, their need for physical contact as strong that of emotional reconnection. Kakashi's hands snuck into Iruka's shirt, lifting it as they made their way up his chest. Iruka gasped as fingers ghosted over his nipples. He threw his head back and moaned, exposing his neck. Kakashi quickly latched onto it, kissing the sensitive spot just under Iruka's jawline. His leg thrust between Iruka's, separating them and lifting the teacher up so he was riding Kakashi's thigh.

"Kashi- ah- wa-wait!" Iruka groaned as the Jounin's muscled thigh started to grind against his hard arousal.

"No! No waiting," Kakashi whispered, licking at the curve of Iruka's ear.

"Bedroom- ah!" the teacher cried out.

Kakashi smirked against the skin of Iruka's neck and reached down, wrapping Iruka's legs around his waist. The teacher clutched his shoulders tightly as Kakashi carried him through the house to their bedroom. Throwing Iruka onto the bed as soon as they entered the room, Kakashi quickly loomed over him, trapping the Chuunin against the sheets. He attacked the exposed neck again, leaving small bruises behind.

"D-Door!" Iruka growled as his shirt disappeared into a dark corner.

His Jounin lover sent a quick flash of chakra in the direction of the wooden door, swinging it closed.

"Softly!"

The chakra complied with Iruka's request, letting the door quietly settle against the frame.

"L-Lock!"

"You worry too much, Iru," Kakashi sighed as the flash of chakra jumped to the lock, closing it.

"I don't want to wake up Shinobu," Iruka explained.

"He's a heavy sleeper. There's nothing to worry about."

Iruka smiled and lifted his lover's head so they could look each other in the eye. Running his finger along the scar that cut down one side of Kakashi's face, the teacher smiled mischievously.

"We're going to get loud tonight and I didn't want him to walk in and ruin it."

Kakashi blushed slightly as Iruka rose up on one elbow, kissing him softly. Blood rushed down to his groin and Kakashi pounced, throwing his beloved back down onto the bed. Iruka smiled against the kiss as it turned rough, their tongues battling.

"How many times?" Kakashi asked, biting at Iruka's lips.

"As many as you can handle," was the reply.

The Jounin groaned against Iruka's skin at the thought.

"Condom or without?"

"Without."

"Someone's horny."

Laughing, Iruka rolled them over so he was on top, his legs planted on either side of Kakashi's waist. He sat up, pressing his ass down on top of Kakashi's hard arousal, grinding against it.

"I went a month without you and I need you now!"

With a devilish smile, Kakashi quickly took off his own shirt, tossing it onto the floor. He grabbed Iruka's ponytail, pulling it out of its elastic cord as he sat up, resting his back against the headboard. The dark strands of hair fell freely around Iruka's face, tickling at the Jounin's cheeks and neck. Callused hands slowly and methodically trailed up the teacher's chest, settling on the hard nipples. Iruka gasped and rocked against Kakashi as his chest was played with.

"Pants- off!"

Iruka stood up on his knees, giving Kakashi some room. Lifting his hips, the Jounin quickly unzipped them and slid them off. Iruka smiled when he saw nothing underneath. Kakashi grabbed Iruka's waist with one hand, quickly slipping the button out of its hole on the teacher's dark pants. He slowly pulled down the zipper, gazing up at his flushed lover. Growling at the slow pace, Iruka wiggled his hips, trying to get the pants off faster.

"So demanding," Kakashi laughed as he yanked them down, revealing Iruka's black boxers.

He leaned in and kissed the front of Iruka's arousal, making the teacher moan. Somehow, Kakashi managed to rid his lover of both his pants and boxers in two quick motions, leaving them both stark naked. Pulling Iruka back down, Kakashi ground against the teacher's supple ass, drawing out a loud moan from the dark-haired man.

Reaching into the drawer of the bedside table, Kakashi pulled out a tube and squirted the cold contents onto his hand. He grabbed Iruka's hip hard with one hand and massaged his lover's ass with the other. Iruka gasped as a finger slipped into his entrance, slowly moving in and out. The rhythm was steady and strong, driving Iruka towards climax. When a second and third finger entered him, he shivered with anticipation, rolling his hips back onto the fingers. Kakashi sensed his lover's hot desire and, when he felt Iruka was stretched enough, pulled his fingers out. Iruka whimpered at the loss.

"Ready?" Kakashi asked as he positioned himself under Iruka.

The teacher nodded and slowly sunk down, burying Kakashi inside him. His breath came in ragged gasps at the feeling of being filled after a month of waiting. When he was fully seated, the teacher pulled himself up again before slamming down hard. Kakashi hissed from the pleasure, his free hand gripping Iruka's other hip. He helped his lover move, their pace building.

Repositioning himself at a slightly different angle, Iruka rolled his hips down and let out a cry of joy. His vision flashed white as his sweet spot was hit. Grinning widely, Kakashi quickly lifted Iruka again and brought him down just as fast. Iruka let out a low growl as both pain and pleasure coursed through him. His whole body shuddered as he reached climax. He exploded onto Kakashi's chest and stomach, the walls of his passage tightening. Gritting his teeth, Kakashi came inside his lover, any sense he had wiped away.

Iruka panted harshly as he came down from his high, collapsing on top of Kakashi. The Jounin pulled out of Iruka and lay his lover down on the bed, breathing just as hard. Rolling onto his side, Kakashi spooned against Iruka, reaching out to clean the white substance from his body.

"Oh, fuck," Iruka laughed, "That was great."

"Maybe a month of abstinence served us both well," Kakashi said as he grabbed a cloth from the drawer in the bedside table.

Iruka smiled softly as the Jounin started to clean his body again. He closed his eyes and hummed happily while the cloth moved over his skin. Kakashi grinned wickedly as he wiped down Iruka's stomach, slowly moving the cloth lower. Iruka let out a yelp as Kakashi grabbed him.

"You wanna go again?" Iruka asked.

"You said we could do as much as I wanted tonight," Kakashi replied as he rolled Iruka onto his back.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Two weeks later…

Slipping out of bed, Kakashi silently put on a pair of black pants and a black shirt. The sun was just starting to rise and the first bird of the morning had already chirped. A faint breeze drifted in through the open window, ruffling his wild hair. Yawning, Kakashi shook his head to clear the sleep from it, shivering slightly in the cool air. Pulling his flak jacket out of the closet, the Jounin bent down to retrieve a box of additional shurikan that he'd hidden there to prevent Shinobu from getting at them. As he straightened, his head collided with one of the closet shelves, making him wince and rub the back of his head.

"You okay, Kashi?" Iruka asked, sitting up in bed.

"I'm okay. I'm sorry if I woke you up," the Jounin said.

"It's fine. I was awake long before you," the teacher laughed as he sat back against the headboard.

Securing the shurikan holder to his leg, Kakashi walked over to the side of the bed and leaned down for a kiss. It was soft, sweet, and even slightly innocent, not at all a representation of the night before. The Jounin's eyes trailed down his lover's bare chest to where the sheets pooled at the juncture of the teacher's legs. Snapping his gaze back up, Kakashi buried his face in Iruka's dark hair.

"I'll miss you," Kakashi sighed.

"It's only a week. Besides, Shinobu and I will have plenty of do before you return. You remember what happened last time all of the Ookami were together in one place," Iruka said.

"Ketai and Rei started wrestling in the kitchen and almost killed each other with the serrated knives," Kakashi sighed, remembering.

"Exactly. I have to get the house ready and lock away anything that could possibly used as a weapon. We'll be busy all week," Iruka said.

"Still," Kakashi groaned.

With a small smile, Iruka slapped the back of Kakashi's head lightly.

"Get going before I throw something at you," he chuckled, trying to sound serious.

"Alright, alright. I'm going to go say goodbye to Shinobu before I leave."

"Don't wake him up. I don't want to deal with a cranky seven year old this early in the morning."

"Will do, Boss."

Kakashi just managed to avoid another slap to the back of his head as he quickly walked out of the room. Heading towards the other end of the hall, he quietly slid the door to his son's bedroom open. The boy was curled up on the bed, his white tail wrapped around his thighs. The sheets were a mess, formed into something that almost resembled a nest. Silently, Kakashi bent down and laid a kiss on the white-haired boy's forehead. Stirring, the boy opened his dark eyes, sleep still heavy on his face.

"Go back to sleep. Your Papa will wake you up in a few hours," Kakashi whispered.

Nodding, the boy brought his knees closer to his chest, nuzzling his cheek into the sheets.

"Bye Chichi. Have a good mission," Shinobu murmured as he drifted of to sleep again.

The battle-hardened Jounin's eyes softened as he looked down at his son. He ran his fingers lightly over the soft, white locks. Even after two years, the fact that Shinobu was his son still amazed Kakashi. He'd never thought about being a father, let alone expecting it. Being a ninja had taken up all of his time and he hadn't even taken relationships seriously until Iruka had been thrown into his life. Now, he was a fully domesticated man and he felt no shame in admitting it.

Leaving before he could get too sentimental, Kakashi made his way to the front hall and retrieved his sandals. When they were on and the straps secure, he silently trudged out the front door, heading in the direction of Hokage Tower.

The week was even busier than Iruka had anticipated. When he wasn't teaching at the Academy, he was rushing around the house doing chores. He washed floors, cleaned dishes, and set sheets out in the backyard to dry. Shinobu tried to best to help his father, but Iruka quickly ran out of jobs that the small seven-year-old could handle and sent him to play with the ninken that he hadn't already recruited to help him.

By the time night fell, everyone in the house, Ookami and dog alike, were so tired that they went straight to bed after dinner. With Kakashi gone, Shinobu and the ninken piled onto Iruka's bed, falling asleep in a heap of fur. Iruka, forced to stay up late grading papers, would come into the room sometime after eleven and crawl in among them, his hand resting on the top of Pakkun's head.

A few days after Kakashi's departure, the teacher woke up feeling nauseous. Rushing to the master bathroom, he closed the door and threw himself down next to the toilet, retching. When the feeling subsided, Iruka collapsed onto the floor, his body shaking from the convulsions. The cool tile felt good against his hot skin as he spread his arms out to either side, trying to soak up as much of the cold as he could.

"Papa?" Shinobu asked, knocking on the door.

Groaning softly, Iruka pulled himself up and walked over to the door. He opened it to find Shinobu rubbing his eyes on the other side, looking worried. The ninken were seated around him, their eyes turned up to Iruka. Kneeling down next to him, Iruka fluffed his wild white hair.

"I'm okay. I just felt a little sick. What do you want for breakfast?" the teacher asked.

"Can we have oatmeal?" the boy asked.

Iruka nodded and Shinobu dashed excitedly towards the kitchen, the pack of ninken at his heels. The teacher had been surprised at the boy's instant love for foods like oatmeal and granola. For the first five years of his life, he and Iruka had survived entirely on cooked meat and whatever else they could find. The concept of eating something as simple of oats was entirely lost on Shinobu until he was finally faced with it. What had been most shocking was that, when Iruka set the small bowl in front of him on their eighth day in the village, the white-haired boy had picked up the spoon and, without adding anything sweet, stuffed the strange brown substance into his mouth. His fathers had exchanged a slightly worried glance and they almost protested when Shinobu smiled brightly and started to eat the oatmeal as fast as he could.

"What happened?" Pakkun asked as he jumped down from the bed.

"Like I told Shinobu, I just suddenly felt sick," Iruka sighed.

He walked back to the toilet to flush away the disgusting contents. As he left the bedroom, Pakkun trotted after him, his long claws clicking on the wood floors.

"Could it be something you ate?" Pakkun asked.

Iruka shook his head and rubbed his stomach absentmindedly.

"I don't think so."

"Could you be pregnant again? You and the Boss have been going at it hard since you got back from Suna," Pakkun said, earning him a glare from the teacher.

"Possibly, but I'm not sure. I didn't start getting morning sickness with Shinobu until after the first month. Kurenai told me that there's been a stomach flu going around. I could have picked it up from one of my students," he mused.

"Whatever it is, you might want to get it checked out. The Boss will freak out if he returns and you're sick in bed. He's a complete wreck when it comes to your health," the pug laughed.

"Well, when I came back to Konoha two years ago, I wasn't exactly in the best shape," Iruka reminded him.

"It doesn't give him the right to freak out practically every time you sneeze-"

"-He doesn't, Pakkun-"

"-And he will when you're throwing up for the next two and a half months."

"I really don't-"

"-Fine, think whatever you want."

Iruka rolled his eyes at the stubborn dog as he made his way into the kitchen. Shinobu was already seated at the table, the box of oatmeal, a small cooking pot, two bowls, and two spoons set in front of him. Taking the pot, Iruka poured in roughly a cup and a half of the oatmeal before adding the water and setting it on the stove. He stirred every now and then, watching carefully for any signs of burning.

When the food was ready, Iruka turned around to find that Shinobu was sitting backwards in his chair, his legs wrapped around the wooden back. The ninken were sitting around it, their tails waging. He chuckled and walked over to the table, filling the bottom of Shinobu's bowl with oatmeal. As his son attacked his favorite breakfast, Iruka sat down across from the boy and poured the remaining contents into his own bowl, feeling surprisingly hungry. They ate in relative silence, the only sound being the scraping of teeth on the metal spoons.

"Papa, how many more days until Chichi comes back?" Shinobu asked, looking up from his oatmeal.

"Three more, Shinobu. You know that," Iruka laughed.

"I wish he was home now," the boy said quietly.

"Sometimes what we want and what we have are different things," Iruka replied, motioning to his son with his hand.

Hopping down from his chair, Shinobu walked around the table to his father with his bowl of oatmeal in hand. Iruka reached down and pulled his son into his lap, holding the boy close as he started to eat again. He rested his chin on the top of the head of white hair.

"I miss him," Shinobu murmured.

"I do too, but he'll be home soon and the dogs are here to keep you company."

"Why does Chichi have to leave so much? You're a ninja too, but other than visiting Cousin Neji, you haven't left."

"Your Chichi is very important to the village so the Hokage sends him on a lot of missions. There aren't many that are close to his strength. I, on the other hand, asked to be suspended from missions unless I absolutely have to. That way I get to stay in Konoha and make sure that you behave."

Shinobu giggled as his father tickled his sides.

"Papa, don't!"

"Alright, but only if you promise to get that sad look off your face. We don't want Cousin Neji to show up and see that, do we?"

"I promise!"

"Okay, now go play with Bull and the others while I clean up."

Leaping off Iruka's lap, Shinobu ran towards the backyard, the pack practically licking his heels with their rolling tongues as they bolted after him. Again, only Pakkun remained with Iruka, curling up at his feet as the teacher stood at the sink, cleaning dishes.

Two packs filled with clothes and provisions sitting by the front door of the Kazekage's apartment. The faint sound of running water drifted through the apartment from the bathroom. Gaara sat on the couch, dressed in red pants and a red jacket. Sayuri was settled in his arms and playing with the fringe of her father's scarf. The Kazekage gaze down at his daughter lovingly, not daring to move in case it would distract her from her playing.

Hearing the water stop, Gaara was forced to look behind him as Neji came into the living room. The Ookami of Reflections was busy clipping his hair into the metal clasp, stopping momentarily in the doorway to focus on it. When he heard the satisfying click, Neji turned his attention to his lover and daughter, walking over to them.

Sayuri giggled as her other father came into view, letting go of Gaara's scarf. Taking her from Gaara, Neji lifted the small baby to his shoulder, one hand holding her head upright. She cooed in response as her cheek touched Neji's.

"Are you ready to go?" Gaara asked, standing.

Neji nodded, rocking his body slowly from left to right. Walking to the packs, Gaara knelt down and picked them up, slinging both of the packs over his shoulders. Behind them, he found a baby sling, which he handed to Neji. Slipping it over one shoulder, Neji carefully placed Sayuri inside. The little girl nestled into the fabric comfortably, turning her white eyes up to her fathers.

"I'll send a clone ahead to tell Iruka we've left when we reach the edge of the village," Gaara said as they left the apartment, locking it behind them.

"How did Temari take the news?" Neji asked, jogging down the steps behind Gaara.

"About taking over for a few days? She was fine with it. I think she sort of relishes being given some power every now and then," Gaara replied.

As they walked out into the bright sunlight, the couple stayed close to each other, but didn't touch. People who recognized the famous pair of lovers waved their hellos, which were returned with a cool head nod from either Gaara nor Neji. At the front gates, the shinobi bowed to their leader and calls for good luck.

When they were out of sight of the village, a small stream of sand flowed out of the gourd on Gaara's back. In midair, the sand shifted and morphed into a clone, awaiting his command. After receiving instructions from his live counterpart, the clone quickly took off in the direction of Konoha.

They were finally alone. Gaara wrapped an arm around Neji's waist, holding him close. Almost purring with happiness, Neji leaned against his lover, grabbing the back of his jacket. He yanked on it lightly and Gaara smiled, understanding the message clearly. As they turned to face each other, their mouths met, open and ready, their tongues intertwining. Gaara ran his rough appendage over the roof of Neji's mouth, making the former Hyuuga growl possessively.

"I know, love, but you're still not fully recovered. Just because the medics said you could travel doesn't mean that we should jump into sex right away," Gaara murmured against Neji's lips. "Besides, we do have the new addition to think about."

Glancing down at their daughter, both men smiled. The baby had fallen asleep, her hands clenched into fists that rested peacefully on her chest.

"Are you going to tell the Hyuuga Clan about her?" Gaara asked, leaning his forehead against Neji's.

"I've already told Hinata," Neji sighed. "The problem is that they're going to find out sooner or later, even if Hinata and I don't tell them. News of a new Byakugan user will reach their ears eventually."

"They won't take her away from us. They don't have that much power," Gaara said.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Neji admitted. "I'm more worried about them trying to hurt her. There's never been a Byakugan user born outside of the Clan, let alone one being a citizen of another village."

Neji took a steady breath, letting it out slowly.

"I'm going to request a meeting with my uncle," he said.

"Would you like me to come?" Gaara asked.

Nodding, Neji pressed his forehead against his lover's. He closed his white eyes, cradling his infant daughter with one arm. The sun's harsh light reflected from his silken hair, creating almost a halo around his head.

"He isn't physically intimidating, but I did give birth only three weeks ago. I don't want to take any chances," the former Hyuuga said.

"Whatever makes you happiest, love."

There was a long silence.

"Are you scared, Gaara?"

"Of your uncle?"

"I meant of finding out Sayuri's other name. Daiki will bring the Sei no Hon with him to the annual meeting."

"No. Are you?"

Neji nodded again, opening his eyes.

"I'm terrified. Daiki is spring and his daughter, Rei, is fall. Iruka-sensei is winter and his father controlled aspects of water. Kakashi-sensei's jutsu is lightning based, something that Shinobu inherited as his Ookami power. My mother was smoke, an association with fire, and I am true reflections. Most Ookami powers seem to follow a pattern almost, but where does a power go from here? What will parents who control sand and reflections produce?" he mused, stroking his daughter's back through the sling.

"Don't think like that, Neji. It'll all be fine. Sayuri is an Ookami born from two powerful ninja, just like Shinobu, and look where he is. He's seven and can use jutsu that most adults only dream about learning."

"That's because Kakashi-sensei is a slave driver when it comes to training."

"But Shinobu has the ability to pull it off, doesn't he?"

"I hate it when you make sense."

"Only because it makes you feel better, love. You're far too hard on yourself."

The two shinobi kissed softly, their daughter fast asleep between them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Throwing himself down onto the couch, Iruka groaned and put his feet up on the coffee table. It was barely four in the morning and the sun still had not yet risen. Rubbing his forehead with the base of his palm, he sunk back into the couch. His hand shook slightly, but he ignored it. He felt absolutely horrible. Everything ached, even his feet. A headache pounded in his forehead. His stomach, however, was the worst due to the fit of retching that he'd experienced nearly ten minutes earlier.

Sighing, he dropped his hand to his side and lay there, staring at the ceiling. He'd felt bad on and off for the past three days. Sometimes the pain was there, sometimes it wasn't like it was trying to make up its mind about what to do. He really wished it just would. The pain he could handle, but the current uncertainty of it he couldn't.

He was glad that he'd decided to take a two week break from teaching. If his students had seem him this way -vomiting everywhere- there would be no end to the teasing. What would have been worse though would have come from the other teachers. Iruka was the youngest of them, the least experienced. He was perfect for a good thrashing now and again and, while he loved all of the other teachers dearly, sometimes he found their antics more embarrassing than anything.

Hearing faint footsteps, he sat up, his stomach rolling. As Iruka fought down another wave of nausea, Neji stepped into the living room. Sayuri was sleeping on his shoulder, her hands clenched into fists against the former Hyuuga's chest. A light cotton blanket was wrapped loosely around her to fight down some of the humidity of the Konoha summer.

"Are you okay, cousin?" Neji asked as he stopped in front of the coffee table.

At the sudden lack of movement, the baby in Neji's arms shifted, her arms moving in closer to her body. Slowly, Neji started to rock back and forth, sending her back to sleep.

"I think I'm sick with something," Iruka sighed. "What are you doing up?"

"Didn't you hear her crying?" Neji asked, motioning to his daughter with his head.

Iruka vaguely remembered hearing something coming from the other side of the house when he'd been busy puking his guts into the toilet.

"That was crying?" he asked, astonished. "No way. It was far too quiet. Shinobu's sounded like a warning siren."

"Gaara says its because she's part Hyuuga," Neji replied, shrugging. "What do you mean you feel sick?"

Settling back into the couch, Iruka groaned. He lay his arm over his stomach, the ache only now starting to recede. Neji came and set next to him, moving Sayuri from her position at his shoulder into the crook of his arm. He continued to rock her carefully as he studied his cousin.

"Is it possible that you're pregnant again?" Neji asked.

"That's what Pakkun thinks, but I'm still not sure," Iruka said.

"You're not sure?"

"It feels different from when I had Shinobu. With him, I started feeling sick after the first month and only threw up after the first month and a half. This time it would be way too early. I spent the whole of last month with you guys."

"True, but I've heard that it can be different each time."

"I've scheduled an appointment with Tsunade in a few days. She'll tell me for sure," Iruka groaned, rubbing his stomach.

"Would you like some tea to calm your stomach?" Neji asked.

Iruka nodded and took Sayuri from Neji. As the former Hyuuga went to the kitchen, the teacher glanced down at his niece. The moment that her father was out of the room, the white eyes opened, staring back at Iruka. He smiled. She was going to be a sneaky little thing when she got older.

When Neji returned with the cup of tea, Iruka handed Sayuri back to her father. Neji shook his head when he noticed that she was awake.

"She sleeps only when she wants to," he sighed, sitting down on the couch again.

"It's only been three weeks, Neji. She'll settle," Iruka laughed as he sipped the hot liquid. "Besides, her other father is practically an insomniac. Speaking of which, why didn't he take care of Sayuri when she woke up? You need the sleep."

"When Gaara does sleep, he sleeps hard," Neji replied.

"How did you manage that?" Iruka asked.

"I like to wear the fuck out of him and, no matter what his objections are, I always get what I want."

The former Hyuuga smiled somewhat wickedly. Iruka noticed how his cream-colored yukata was slightly askew, the collar wide open. At first glance, he had assumed that it was from Neji turning over in his sleep, but now, he saw the fresh bruises on the exposed collarbones.

"You really are a sadist, aren't you?"

"Only when I really want something."

"Which is usually sex?"

"Of course. I may be able to give birth, but I'm still a man."

"You'll be the one changing the sheets. My own I have no problem with, but I have to draw the line somewhere."

"Fine by me.

Both Neji and Iruka glanced down when they heard a soft growl emanate from the former Hyuuga's arms. Sayuri nuzzled against Neji's chest, her hands clenching into fists again. As they watched, the white eyes once again closed and the steady breathing of sleep quickly followed.

"Finally," Neji murmured, brushing a thin lock of dark hair out of Sayuri's face.

"She's all Hyuuga, isn't she?" Iruka whispered.

Neji shook his head.

"When this baby hair falls out, I think its going to come back bright red."

* * *

Even though he was inside the walls of Konoha, Kakashi still itched to get home. Six days of almost nonstop travel had worn his energy levels down and, to add to his problem, he was growing more frustrated. Since Iruka's return two years earlier, the white-haired Jounin found it hard to go more than five days without his lover. This trip in particular had left the Jounin with no time to himself. Getting caught by Daiki or any of the others was one of the last things he wanted.

Rounding the corner, Kakashi almost broke into a sprint when he spotted Shinobu's white hair from down the street. The seven-year-old was kneeling in the grass just beyond the front steps of the porch, studying something in the dirt. Sending a signal to the five people behind him, Kakashi hid his chakra signature and snuck around to their neighbor's back yard. Cutting across the gardens, he silently made his way between the houses, coming around behind Shinobu.

Suddenly, his arms snapped forward and he grabbed the small boy. Shinobu squeaked and struggled as he was pulled backwards. Their eyes met. A wide grin broke out on the small boy's face and he leapt on top of Kakashi, pushing the Jounin onto his back.

"Welcome home, Chichi!"

"Have you been good?" Kakashi asked.

Shinobu raised his head.

"Of course not."

"Good boy."

Laughing, Shinobu leapt up and dashed in the house, shouting for his other father. As Kakashi sat up, his five traveling companions all approached the house. One of them rolled her eyes at him.

Neji was the first one out of the Hatake compound. He practically glided over the steps as he quickly jogged down them. The former Hyuuga embraced his nearest relative, Daiki, the two Ookami clapping each other on the back. Kakashi watched as Shinobu darted out the front door, running over to Ketai. Gaara was not far behind, Sayuri sitting in his arms.

"Welcome home Kashi," Iruka whispered from behind the Jounin.

Kakashi smiled as he turned to his lover, who pulled down the Jounin's mask to peck the familiar lips. They hugged, Iruka's head tucked under his chin. When they pulled away from each other, Kakashi studied the teacher's face. He frowned slightly. Something –although he couldn't tell what- was off.

"We'll talk about it later," Iruka murmured, yanking Kakashi's mask back over his face.

The couple intertwined their fingers and walked over to where the rest of the family stood. Iruka just managed to get in a handshake or a hug from the other Ookami before everyone's attention turned back to Sayuri. The youngest Ookami met each of their stares in true Hyuuga fashion: with all the cold confidence in the world.

"Her powers haven't shown themselves yet, have they?" Daiki asked.

Both Neji and Gaara shook their heads.

"Not yet, but its probably a good thing. Her Ookami name may give us a better idea of what to look out for," Neji said, brushing his daughter's hair back with his fingers.

Glancing up, Iruka noticed that there was another addition to their group, someone that he didn't recognize. The man was no older than twenty-five and his skin was darker than even Iruka's. He was handsome, though not overly so. His chin was strong, his cheekbones rough. A Kumogakure hitai-ate was tied to his forehead. Emi was latched onto his arm.

"Who are you?" Shinobu asked, noticing the man at the same time as his father.

"This is my husband, Hiro," Emi said as she leaned her head in to rest it on the man's shoulder.

"You're married? Congratulations," Gaara replied.

"I have to keep the Taiyoono line alive somehow," the kind Ookami joked.

"Shall we go inside?" Iruka asked.

He led the way, Kakashi right at his heels. Their hands reconnected as the couple walked into their shared home, Shinobu bouncing along behind them. The group took up residence in the living room while Iruka and Kakashi went to the kitchen.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked as he wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist, pulling the Chuunin's back against his chest.

"I set up an appointment with Tsunade for tomorrow," Iruka whispered, pouring tea into clay mugs.

"Are you sick?" Kakashi asked, worried.

"Not in the way of a cold."

"What the hell does that-"

Iruka spun around to face him, holding his finger up to the Jounin's lips. He used his free hand to grab Kakashi's wrist and bring the large palm to his lower abdomen.

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked, understanding instantly.

Shaking his head, Iruka whispered, "Not quite, but it's all the right signs. I've been throwing up for the past few days, especially after I first wake up in the mornings. I can't handle the smell of certain things like coffee. Early this morning, Neji practically forced me to let him look and he noticed that there's a definite change in my chakra flow, but even he cannot be sure."

"When is the appointment?"

"6 o'clock tomorrow morning. I don't want too many people to be around when I go. It could seem suspicious."

"Alright, I'll be there."

"Of course you will be! If this is what I think it is, you're going to be a father for the second time."

Kakashi smiled and slowly pulled down his mask again. Their tongues met in midair, pulling their mouths together.

"I like the sound of that," the Jounin purred.

By the time the couple returned to the living room with the tea, the atmosphere in the room had greatly changed. Neji, Gaara, and Daiki sat on the couch, Sayuri in the former Hyuuga's arms. Shifting nervously in his seat, Neji kept his gaze locked on his infant daughter. The Kazekage had one arm protectively wrapped around Neji's waist while the rest of the Ookami stood around them, waiting. The Sei no Hon had been laid on the table.

Setting the tray of tea down next to the book, Iruka cautiously backed away to where Kakashi stood near the door. The Jounin pulled his lover against him, holding the nervous teacher with one arm. His other hand was extended out, resting on his son's head. Iruka's tail reached out and intertwined itself with Shinobu's.

"So, shall we?" Daiki asked, glancing over at the new parents.

Gaara nodded silently for himself and his terrified lover. Slowly, Daiki leaned forward and took the ancient book in his hands. Lifting it into his lap, he untied the leather cord that was wrapped around it, letting the ends of the string fall away. He cautiously flipped the pages as he searched for the Ookami family tree.

"Sayuri no Subaku, born the 15th of May: Gurasu."

"Glass?" Neji murmured, finally glancing over at Daiki.

The older Ookami nodded. "It makes sense really. Glass can create reflections and it is made from sand (1)."

Both Neji and Gaara looked down at their daughter, who stared up at them in return.

"Glass," Neji repeated softly, smiling a little.

"You sound happy, Sugata," Daiki said.

"I wasn't sure what to expect," the former Hyuuga replied as he snuggled closer to Gaara.

Standing, Daiki walked over to stand in front of Neji. He leaned down and, unsheathing a claw, ran the back of it over Sayuri's forehead. The baby watched him closely, curious.

"Welcome to the Ookami, Gurasu," the elder Ookami said, kissing the baby's forehead.

Neji rested his cheek on Gaara's shoulder. He raised one of his hands a little so his daughter could latch onto his finger. When she did, Gaara reached around and covered his lover and daughter's hands with his.

Across the room, Kakashi's own hand unconsciously slipped down to cover Iruka's lower pelvis, slipping under the black shirt to rub the tanned skin. Iruka leaned back into his lover, almost purring with happiness as the curved scar was gently stroked.

* * *

**(1) This is true. The main component in glass is sand.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Iruka shifted nervously from one foot of the other, his hands clasped behind his back. He frowned at the floor, lost in thought. Every now and then, Kakashi would give him a worried glance, but quickly go back to staring out the window. They were in Tsunade's office, waiting.

It had been nearly two hours since they'd last seen the Hokage. The moment they'd arrived at her office, she'd swept them. When she'd collected the sample of blood from Iruka, Tsunade had disappeared in a flash. Neither Iruka nor Kakashi had spoken to her at all during the short encounter. There had been no reason to. Iruka had already filled her in on his symptoms and she was too worried about getting the tests done as soon as possible to inquire about any changes.

"What is taking so long?" Kakashi grumbled, leaning his forehead against the windowpane.

"I'm sure that the test takes a while to complete, even if Tsunade-sama does it herself," Iruka replied quietly.

Looking over at his lover, Kakashi sighed softly and walked to him, embracing the teacher. He laid his chin on the top of Iruka's head, his arms clutching the broad shoulders tightly.

"How are you feeling?" the Jounin asked.

Iruka shrugged in his grasp.

"Nervous," he said with all honesty.

"Me, too."

Lowering his head, Kakashi softly kissed his lover's lips, the pressure sweet and loving. Iruka's hands slowly made their way up Kakashi's back, tracing his spine. The Jounin shivered slightly as the teacher started to circle his hands over Kakashi's shoulder blades. They bumped foreheads, smiling at each other. Kakashi massaged Iruka's hips lovingly.

The door suddenly clicked open and Tsunade strolled in, closing the door behind her. Both Iruka and Kakashi looked up, eyeing the folder she held in one hand. Their gazes followed as she went over to her desk and sat down, motioning for them to approach. Iruka glanced at Kakashi nervously, but was reassured when the Jounin took his hand and squeezed it.

Leaning forward on her desk, Tsunade studied the two shinobi carefully, noticing the sweet exchange. Slowly, she opened the file and glanced down at it, rereading the results.

Iruka's stomach clenched as the Hokage looked down at the papers. Every moment that passed, he grew more worried, his stares turning from ones of nervousness to anxious. He felt Kakashi's arm wrap around his waist comfortingly and Iruka leaned into his lover, closing his eyes momentarily.

He and Kakashi had wanted another child since Iruka had returned to Konoha. Male pregnancies, they had discovered, didn't take as often as they did with a female so they had patiently waited, relishing in each other's company as well as that of their son. They had been happy, but now that there was a possibility of another child, it filled their thoughts.

"Well," Tsunade said slowly.

Iruka unsheathed his claws, careful not to dig them into Kakashi's flesh. He gritted his teeth. The wait was excruciating.

"Congratulations, you are having a baby!"

The astonished teacher nearly collapsed into his lover's arms. He turned to Kakashi in total shock, clutching the Jounin's shirt. Kakashi beamed down at him, one of his hands snaking around to gently rub Iruka's pelvis. Burying his face in the crook of Kakashi's neck, Iruka took a deep breath. Slowly, his mouth turned up into a smile and he shook with happiness.

"You're three weeks along so I will be prescribing supplements and an extremely healthy diet. No ramen with Naruto for you, alright?" Tsunade laughed.

Iruka nodded into Kakashi's shoulder, too excited to turn around and face his Hokage. Tsunade exchanged an amused glance with Kakashi.

"I'll go get the prescription filled," Tsunade murmured as she slipped out the door.

Finally pulling away from his lover, Iruka glanced up at Kakashi's ecstatic face. Neither of them could stop smiling as Kakashi pulled down his mask and they gently kissed. Need rose in the Jounin and he licked at Iruka's lips, pushing his tongue in when the teacher let him. Stroking his tongue along Kakashi's, Iruka grabbed his lover's arms tightly, pulling their hips flush against each other's. Kakashi grinned and removed his hand from Iruka's torso, reaching around to grab his ass. Yelping into the kiss, Iruka groaned when he felt the strong hand rubbing his backside, the fingers gripping tightly.

"Did the thought of knocking me up make you horny or something?" Iruka laughed.

"Just happy," Kakashi snickered.

Kneeling down, Kakashi wrapped his arms around the back of Iruka's legs, one hand still resting casually on his lover's ass. He lifted Iruka's shirt just a little and kissed the tanned skin just above the waistline of his pants. Iruka gazed down at his lover and ran his fingers through the wild white hair. He hummed happily as Kakashi stared to whisper incoherent things to his stomach.

"Iruka?" Kakashi murmured, turning his gaze up at Iruka's.

"Yeah, Kashi?"

"I'm going to ask Tsunade if I can be excused for any hard or dangerous missions from now on," the Jounin replied, resting his chin on his lover's stomach.

"Are you sure, Kashi? You're a very important Jounin," Iruka said.

Kakashi smiled at up him and kissed Iruka's abdomen again, rubbing the skin softly.

"We're not going to be apart this time," he murmured. "We'll experience it together. That's what I want."

"I can't argue with that, can I?" Iruka laughed.

"Nope."

A few moments later, Tsunade returned with the pills for Iruka. She smiled when she saw the couple.

"I can't tell whether you're getting acquainted or something more sinister," she teased as she handed the bottle of pills out the Iruka.

The teacher blushed and Kakashi rolled his eyes, standing up.

"I would like to do a physical exam, if that's alright with you, Iruka," she continued.

Iruka nodded and pecked Kakashi on the cheek before turning to follow Tsunade. She led him into a room that was just off of her office. It was set up with an examination table, a desk, and a few pieces of equipment that Iruka didn't recognize. He sat up on the table and laid down as she instructed, lifting up his shirt. Lightly pressing his lower stomach, she felt the slightly tense skin and smiled at him. Iruka shivered slightly when she laid a stethoscope against his stomach, listening. She nodded to herself and shot him another smile. A few more things and she was done, telling him to sit up. Pulling up the desk chair next to the examination table, she took a seat.

"So Kakashi is going to semi-retire for now?" Tsunade asked.

"I guess you could say that," Iruka replied. "He said he was going to ask to be excluded from any missions that could be considered dangerous."

"After what happened with Asuma's death and the fact that you were missing when Shinobu was born, I can't blame him for wanting to stick close to home. As well, I feel that it would be the best for you," Tsunade said.

"For me?" Iruka asked.

"I can't really let a pregnant Ookami wander around by himself, even with Himura in custody. There are still hunters out there that would love to get their hands on you. At the same time, I don't want to add any stress or the like by giving you ANBU bodyguards when the father of your baby is a former ANBU himself," Tsunade explained.

"I'd feel better with Kakashi around rather than another shinobi," Iruka admitted.

"My point exactly. Kakashi is like a calming agent for you and you'll need to avoid stress as much as possible for the next eight months or so, especially after you start to show. I'm assuming that you're going to try and keep it under wraps as long as possible."

"Kakashi and I talked about it last night and we agreed that it was for the best to not let the public know until I get to the point where I can't hide it. We'll tell our closest friends and the other Ookami, of course, but we also want to avoid as many external issues as possible."

"The three of us are all on the same page then," Tsunade said, smiling.

Standing, she walked over to Iruka and hugged him tightly. Iruka grinned and hugged back.

"I'm so happy for you both," she said as she pulled back. "I know you've both wanted this for a while."

"Since I came home," Iruka replied, wiping away a small tear.

"Come on. Let's get back to that pain in the ass father," Tsunade teased.

Kakashi was waiting for them in the office, sitting on the couch. When they reentered the room, he quick stood up and embraced his lover. Tsunade chuckled at the protective attitude that the Jounin was displaying.

"Go on. You have family to tell," she laughed.

The couple quickly left, Iruka practically dragging Kakashi behind him. People turned to stare at them as they jogged through the streets, Kakashi quietly pleading for Iruka to slow down. They made it to the Hatake compound in almost record time. Neji was the first one to see them.

After breakfast, Gaara had taken Sayuri for the morning, allowing his exhausted lover time to himself. Neji had been sitting on the front steps, enjoying the quiet morning when he saw Iruka and Kakashi approaching. As soon as he did, he knew what had happened.

Leaping up, he ran over to them and hugged his cousin. The two Ookami rocked back and forth, grinning widely. Kakashi watched them, his attention diverted only when he saw red on the edge of his vision. Gaara came over to them, Sayuri in his arms. He frowned at Kakashi who smiled in return.

"What's going on?" Gaara asked.

"We'll explain. Come on, Iru. We should go inside," Kakashi said.

The Ookami cousins nodded and made their way into the house. Gaara followed them, walking much slower than the Konoha Jounin, who stuck as close to his lover as possible. The Kazekage recognized the protective streak, as he had it as well, but said nothing.

The rest of the family was in the living room, sipping tea. They all looked up when Iruka and Neji walked in, a bit surprised at the thrilled looks that covered the two Umino Ookamis' faces as they stopped in the doorway. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist, pulling his lover against him. Iruka rested the back of his head on Kakashi's chest and, reaching down, covered Kakashi's hands with his. They rested just over his lower abdomen.

"We have happy news," Iruka said.

Kakashi motioned to Shinobu before nuzzling his masked face against his lover's neck. Frowning in confusion, the white-haired seven-year-old trotted over to his fathers, standing next to them. Iruka glanced down at him and, revealing his tail, wrapped it around Shinobu's.

"So? What's the news?" Rei asked impatiently.

"Sayuri here has only eight months or so left of being the youngest Ookami," Iruka laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Iruka's pregnancy was progressing well and there were no problems. He was in his fourth month already and starting to show, which also brought about the rumors and questions. Whenever Iruka even stepped out of the house, he would see people, namely his neighbors, whispering to each other behind their hands. He took it all in stride, knowing that it was human nature to gossip.

Kakashi, however, didn't tolerate the whispers as well. His protectiveness had only increased, leading him to stand between Iruka and any other person that was within a three-foot radius of his lover. This extended to everyone except for Naruto, Tsunade, and few choice others.

Shinobu, just like his fathers, was thrilled at the idea of a younger sibling. He'd enjoyed playing with Sayuri during the week that the Ookami had been assembled in Konoha and he couldn't wait for there to be another baby in the house.

Iruka was laying on the back porch, enjoying the cool night air when Kakashi came out of the house. He glanced up at his lover and smiled. The hand that stroked the small bump that was his second child stilled, reaching up towards the white-haired Jounin. Taking it, Kakashi lay down next to Iruka and, turning to face his lover, took over rubbing Iruka's abdomen.

"He finally fell asleep," the Jounin said. "It took four stories and half a game of splash-Chichi-while-in-the-bath, but he finally did."

"Having that much energy will be good for a ninja," Iruka laughed, pecking his lover on the cheek.

"Hopefully he won't end up like Naruto, though," Kakashi groaned. "That boy has too much."

"Don't worry. He may look up to his brother Naru, but Shinobu doesn't want to act like him," the teacher said.

"I hope you're right."

Kakashi glanced down at Iruka's pelvis and leaning forward, kissed it lightly. Iruka smiled and interlaced his fingers with Kakashi's, resting their hands on the bump.

"We're both okay. Tsunade didn't see anything wrong with either of us at the exam today," Iruka said, trying to reassure his lover.

"I know, but I can't help worrying," Kakashi snorted.

"You're too protective. If it's a girl, you'll end up killing any boy that comes near her."

"Of course. I am a man and I know what men want. If I have a daughter –or a son that's like us- there is no way that any man will be going near him or her."

Iruka chuckled softly and nuzzled his lover's neck, taking a deep breath.

"And then I will be forced to reason with you on our child's behalf and make you see the good in their intended lover or spouse," he murmured, rolling his eyes.

"Oh really? Do you think you're that persuasive?" Kakashi asked.

"You know I am. I could kick you out on the couch for a few weeks or, even worse, I could force you to sleep in our bed, but not allow you to touch me."

Kakashi shuddered at the wicked smile Iruka was giving him. He gulped a little and nodded.

"That would do it," he sighed.

"I know," Iruka laughed.

Rolling onto his side, he sat up on one elbow and started tracing the long scar that cut down Kakashi's left eye. Kakashi continued to stroke his lover's stomach, sighing in contentment. Even after two years, Kakashi relished in having Iruka back with him again. The six years of loneliness that permeated into his soul and refused to let go, leaving him a man craving the love and attention of his lover constantly.

"Are you okay, Kashi?" Iruka asked, frowning slightly.

Kakashi nodded and smiled up at the teacher.

"I was just thinking how lucky I am. There were so many things that could have killed you, from missions to being captured, even the journey home, but you survived. Not many people with ninja lovers can say that and I don't want to ever be like them, like Kurenai," he said slowly.

"We'll just have to be very careful then," Iruka replied. "Even if neither of us are taking missions now, we're still ninja. We may be called to duty at any time."

"Not until our second child is born, you're not!" Kakashi snapped, "And, even then, I refuse to leave my children as orphans."

Iruka laughed a little at Kakashi's possessive and protective nature.

"I doubt that will happen, Kashi. The possibility of either of us dying is very low.'

"How so?"

"Well, you're the Copy Nin, one of the greatest of all time. Killing you would be harder than, well, practically anything. I'm a Chuunin that teaches Academy students. The only reason I'd be called to the front lines is if there was if half of the Jounin were incapacitated in some way."

"Did you forget the last Ninja War already?"

"No, but that was a special case. Besides, I didn't have children at that time. Tsunade would never send me out if there was any other option now."

Kakashi huffed, but agreed with his lover's assessment.

"It's getting late, Kashi."

"A little bit longer."

They stared up at the sky in silence.

* * *

Across Konoha, a single man paced around his jail cell, wringing his hands. This wasn't new behavior for him so the guard that passed every half an hour ignored it. However, the guard could have prevented a lot of trouble if he'd noticed the smirk that the shadows of the cell barely hid.

He had been planning for this day for over two years. His anger, the main driving force, hadn't been dampened at all by the lack of sunlight. Shadows mattered little to him. He was a man of great ambitions and just illusions were insignificant in his eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud rattling and he turned to see another guard open the door to his cell. The man smirked at the guard and stepped towards him.

"You've come," the man said.

"Yes sir, I have," the guard replied coldly.

"So, do you have what I asked for?" the man asked.

The guard nodded and handed the man a small scroll.

"This lists all of their locations," the guard said as he started to take off his jacket.

"Perfect," the man purred, slipping off his dirty shirt.

They quickly exchanged clothes, changing as rapidly as they could. The guard, who was now dressed in the prisoner's clothing, took a seat on the thin cot on the far wall, settling down for a long wait. The former prisoner slipped out of the cell and closed the door behind him. Locking it, he sent one last glance at the man in the cell.

"I doubt they'll notice the change," he chuckled.

"Good luck sir," the guard replied.

"That's lord to you," Himura Utake snarled. "Now, be good and don't alert anyone that you're the one in there. I'd like to have a head start before the bastards decide to come find me."

"Of course, Lord Utake," the guard replied. "Kill all of the little demons for me."

As Himura walked away, he silently shook his head.

'Stupid Hyuugas,' he thought. 'They're supposed to be such a proud clan, but they've given me the chance to ruin their position over a simple dislike for Ookami. Their leader even gave me his nephew's location.'

He snorted as he strode out of the dark dungeons of the prison, making his way up the stairs towards the main floor.

'At least I'll get some good pelts out of this.

* * *

**I know that this is very short, but please be patient. I've been working on some other stories.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I know that it has been a while, but here is our newest chapter. Things are starting to heat up. Let drama ensue!**

* * *

Chapter 8

The sun was just starting to set over Suna, throwing golden light over the Sand Village. In his apartment, Neji was pacing through the living room, Sayuri asleep against his shoulder. He wasn't sure, but for some reason, he felt anxious, almost as though something was going to happen. The feeling had stuck with him for the last few days, making him jumpy, something that Neji never had been before. Gaara must have noticed, but didn't ask.

Growling to himself at his paranoia, he trotted to the bedroom and carefully set Sayuri in her crib. She squirmed in her sleep as she was set down, but quickly settled again. Neji stood at the side of the crib for a moment, staring down at his daughter. A small smile played at his thin lips as he turned away.

Suddenly, the window on the far side of the window exploded and Neji spun around. A figure clad all in black rolled easily through the storm of glass, leaping towards Neji. The Ookami growled in anger, unsheathing his claws as he sprung at his attacker. Delivering a quick blow to the man's knee, Neji tried to get him down onto the ground, but the man rolled away. Pulling several kunai out from his belt, the man brought his arm back and them.

Neji glanced behind him at his daughter and quickly dodged, letting the kunai sink into the wall. Taking a defensive stance, the former Hyuuga waited for the next move. Many of his Clan's special moves were not meant for such a small space, especially not when his precious baby was in the room.

His attacker eyed Neji carefully, searching for any weak spot. Neji smirked in return, knowing that there was none. With a sudden move, the man's chakra was focused into his hand, enveloping it in green chakra. Taken aback, Neji activated his Byakugan just in time for the man to charge him. Recognizing the move, Neji ducked and kicked out, effectively knocking the man from his feet. Grabbing Sayuri from her crib, Neji snatched the baby sling from its hook and took off through the broken window. While Neji hated to run away, he had to worry about his daughter first.

He landed easily on the next roof, settling his daughter into the sling before taking off again. Awakened by the noise, she stared up at her father, her white eyes unconcerned. Neji smiled down at her, one arm wrapped around the sling to hold her as close as possible.

A shot of green chakra flew just over his shoulder and Neji slid along the roof, rapidly changing directions. The man followed him, continuing to shot kunai filled with chakra. Glancing up ahead, Neji saw that he was approaching Gaara's office, the safest place that he could be. Swinging around, Neji turned to face his attacker. He smirked, a clawed hand stroking the back of his daughter's head through the cloth of the sling. The man that had been chasing him slid to a stop, his hidden eyes staring at the former Hyuuga.

"If you really wanted to come after me, you should have trained harder," Neji sneered.

The man didn't reply, but he did reach for the kunai pouch at his waist. Sending off a shot of chakra towards Gaara's office, Neji dropped onto all fours, Sayuri hidden by the cocoon of his body. His tail swished angrily behind him.

He watched carefully as the man charged, a kunai in hand. Neji steadied himself, muttering quiet words of comfort to his infant daughter. When the man crossed the invisible line that Neji had mentally drawn on the rooftop, the Hyuuga leapt forward, his clawed hand shooting out. Avoiding the sharp kunai, he ripped the man's mask away from his face, finding himself staring directly into blue eyes. His reflection grinned widely and Neji was suddenly bathed in a wave of blood.

The dead body fell onto him, the severed head bouncing onto the rooftop. Heaving the body off of him, Neji let it fall carelessly. Standing up straight, he glanced down at the deceased man. He had been a ninja of some capacity, although he didn't wear a hitai-ate of any kind. Snorting, Neji walked over to where the head had rolled. Lifting it up, he examined the thin face, blue eyes wide and clouded in death.

"Neji!" Gaara shouted as he leapt up onto the roof with two of his bodyguards.

The former Hyuuga glanced up and smiled wickedly.

"Hello," he replied.

Rushing over, Gaara quickly checked his lover over for injuries while the guards went to the body. Finding none, the Kazekage breathed a sigh of relief and was about to envelop Neji in a bone-crushing hug when he heard cooing. Both men looked down at their daughter. Her face and body were spotted with the man's blood, although not nearly as much as Neji was. A small hand was fisted in Neji's shirt, yanking down on it. She was smiling and started to giggle as her dark claws started to rip into the fabric.

"I knew that she would be more like you as she grew older," Neji laughed.

"What the hell happened?" Gaara asked.

"I put Sayuri down for a nap when the bastard broke through the window and attacked me. I knew that I had to get Sayuri out of there so I grabbed her and took off. The idiot followed me and here we are," Neji said, shrugging.

"You could have been hurt!" Gaara shouted frantically.

"We're fine though, aren't we?" Neji snorted. Lifting his hand to caress his lover's cheek, he smiled again and added, "Sayuri and I aren't going anywhere. You don't need to worry."

"When you have a Hyuuga as your lover and your baby's other father, you do need to be worried," Gaara chuckled. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Neji nodded. "Although I doubt he is. Minoru did well."

His reflection cackled from the pool of blood that had stemmed from the decapitated body. "Why thank you."

"Take this bastard to Shika," Gaara snapped at his guards, suddenly remembering the fact that he was standing next to a dead body. "Let him examine the body. I want a report on his desk as soon as possible."

"Yes Kazekage!" they both replied, darting away with the body and its severed head.

"Damn hunters," Gaara snarled.

"I don't think he was a hunter," Neji said as he took Sayuri out of the sling. He sat her in his arms, facing Gaara.

"Why do you think that?" Gaara asked, wetting his thumb before reaching out to clean his daughter's face.

"He didn't say anything and seemed determined to kill me as soon as possible. Hunters usually enjoy the chase, or at least that's what the others have told me," Neji explained.

"Either way, we need to alert the other Ookami. Maybe they can give us an insight into who the bastard is."

"Was, love," Neji corrected.

"Whatever."

* * *

Kakashi had just gotten back to the Hatake Compound when the letter from Neji arrived. He had spent the morning on an easy 'lost item' mission, something that bored him, but kept him close to home, just like he wanted. The letter, so white and innocent, was sitting in the mailbox, waiting to be opened. He gathered it up with the rest of the mail, examining the writing on the front of the envelope. Recognizing it as Neji's, he set it aside for his lover.

Iruka came home not half an hour later, Shinobu chattering up a storm at his heels. The pregnant Ookami groaned as he slowly sat down in a chair at the kitchen table, muttering a thank you to Kakashi when the Jounin set a mug of hot tea in front of him.

"How was your day?" Kakashi asked, taking a seat across from Iruka.

"Terrible," the Ookami sighed. "Kurenai took to dragging me all over the village shopping and now, my feet hurt like hell."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi replied sadly.

"How was yours?" Iruka asked.

"Easy, another mission that was barely even at the D level," his Jounin lover said. "Oh, Neji sent you a letter."

Handing the plain envelope over, Kakashi watched as the former teacher quickly ripped it open and pulled out the folded paper inside. The look on Iruka's face quickly melted from excitement into shock to outrage. Kakashi frowned as his love shot up out of his chair and rushed towards the family library.

"Is everything alright?" Kakashi asked as he poked his head into the library.

Iruka stood at the desk, frantically writing something on a piece of paper. Finishing with a flourish, he grabbed a fresh envelope and sealed the letter inside before writing Neji's name on the front.

"No!" Iruka shouted, finally straightening up. He thrust the letter towards Kakashi. "Read it!"

Taking the letter, Kakashi read, "Dear cousin, It would seem that our kind are not as safe as we had hoped. This morning, an unknown assailant attacked Sayuri and me in our home. I managed to get us both out of there and away from the apartment before Minoru killed the bastard. Gaara is worried that the hunters may have found us, but I don't think it was them at all. I believe that someone is just trying to kill us off, not for our pelts like Himura was, but solely so that there are no Ookami left. I have sent similar letters to Daiki and the others while Gaara has sent news to each of the Kages. Yours truly, Neji."

"See?" Iruka cried. "It's a fucking disaster."

"Iru, just because Neji was attacked it doesn't mean that they're going after him simply because he's an Ookami," Kakashi said, trying to calm his boyfriend. "He is the lover of the Kazekage, after all."

"After the fiasco two years ago, I am not allowed nor willing to believe that," the former teacher spat.

"I'm only trying to look at all of the possibilities. I'm sure that one of the Suna examiners will come back with something conclusive," Kakashi said as he strode over to his lover, rubbing his shoulders.

"What if it was a hunter or something?" Iruka asked.

"Then, we'll have to take extra measures," the Jounin replied, kissing Iruka on the cheek. Reaching around, he softly brushed his hand along Iruka's stomach. "It'll all be fine."

"I hope you're right," Iruka grumbled.

Kakashi pulled his lover tightly against him. "And if I'm not, then you can kick my ass in hell as much as you want," he teased.

Knocking his boyfriend on the back of the head, Iruka rolled his eyes and went to put his reply to Neji in the mailbox.

* * *

**What do you all think? Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

Warning: There is yaoi in this chapter and some sweet moments. Beware!

* * *

Chapter 9

Ever since Neji's letter, Iruka had become increasingly more paranoid. He still allowed Shinobu out in the yard to play with the dogs and the like, but either he, Kakashi or one of their trusted friends had to be there at all times to keep an eye on him. Shinobu, thankfully, barely noticed. Kakashi, however, was becoming worried. His lover had even trouble sleeping, staying awake much longer than he should to continuously check on their son as he slept. It would have been unhealthy for anyone, let alone a pregnant man.

A week and a half after the letter, Kakashi finally decided to do something, anything, to calm his boyfriend down. He sent Shinobu to Kurenai's for the night and set up their bedroom in a simple, but romantic way. A few candles were fit on top of the dresser, filling the room with a soft light. The bed had been stripped and the sheets washed with Iruka's favorite scent: lilac. Knowing that Iruka would probably be too tired to even get under the sheets when he did fall asleep, Kakashi retrieved their softest, smoothest blanket from the hall closet and spread it over the bed.

He had just finished his preparations when Iruka came home. Closing the bedroom door behind him, he walked out to the kitchen to help his lover with dinner. The Ookami looked frazzled, his hair as unkempt as Kakashi's. Lines had formed at the corners of his eyes from lack of sleep and his skin was pale.

Slinking up behind him, Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's hips, hugging his lover against him. Iruka let out a small squeak, but smiled and leaned back into Kakashi's chest. He hummed happily as Kakashi's rough hand stroked his slightly bulging abdomen.

"Hi," Iruka murmured as he laid his hand over his lover's.

"Hello."

"What do you want for dinner?"

"What is this one thinking?"

Iruka chuckled when the hand slipped under his shirt to caress the skin.

"Undecided at this point. I'm surprised I haven't had any strange cravings yet."

"I'm almost as scared about that as the mood swings."

Grinning, Iruka turned in Kakashi's grasp and nuzzled his nose against Kakashi's.

"Affectionate much?" Kakashi laughed as he pecked his lover on the lips.

"I noticed that Shinobu wasn't here," Iruka said.

"I can't get anything past you, can I?"

"No. Come on, I'll make us some fried rice."

The two lovers cooked in silence, enjoying the calming lull of the quiet. As he diced tomatoes, Kakashi stole glances over at Iruka, nearly sighing in happiness. The two years since their reunion had done little to curb Kakashi's wonder at having his lover back. If anything, they had made his feeling stronger. Then, of course, there was their son, Shinobu. Kakashi adored the little boy as much as any father possibly could. Now, they had another on the way. Even with the threat that Neji had warned them about, Kakashi had never been happier.

When the food was finished, they set the table and took their seats. Ravenous, Kakashi dug into the food while Iruka ate more gingerly, making sure to eat all of the vegetables first.

"Did you meet with Tsunade today?" Kakashi asked, eyeing his lover's plate.

Iruka nodded. "She told me to start eating more vegetables and the like."

Seeing the anxious frown on Kakashi's face, he quickly added, "There is nothing wrong with either of us! She's just a little nervous because, other than Dr. Tsuka, she is the first medic to treat a pregnant Ookami. Since he's still in Suna with Neji, Tsunade-san feels that she needs to take extra precautious."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Kakashi reached out his hand to Iruka. The dark-haired ninja grabbed it, their fingers locking together.

"I'm glad to hear it," Kakashi said. "I'm glad that you're being taken care of."

Rolling his eyes playfully, Iruka stood and walked around the table to his lover. He cupped Kakashi's face with his hands, running a finger along the giant scar that cut down on side of the handsome man's face. The former teacher kissed his lover lightly on the lips. Kakashi's grip tightened and Iruka was pulled closer, their hips flush against each other's. The Chunnin moaned softly as Kakashi's hand ran down the curve of his stomach, teasing the skin just above the hem of his pants. Kakashi grinned against his lover's mouth and bent down a little, hooking his arms just under Iruka's ass. Lifting him up into his arms, Kakashi carried his pregnant lover through the house to the bedroom, forgetting about their dinner entirely.

Iruka chuckled as he was gingerly set on the bed. He scooted back, Kakashi crawling after him. Grabbing the collar of Kakashi's shirt, Iruka flung himself down onto the mattress, pulling Kakashi with him. Spreading his legs a bit, he let Kakashi settle between them, groaning softly as he did.

"Someone is impatient," Kakashi joked as he pecked his boyfriend on the nose.

"I am," Iruka growled, showing his pointed teeth. "It's been too long."

"I didn't want to hurt you or anything, Iru," Kakashi explained.

"Yes, but you've left me completely horny and stressed," Iruka snarled. "If I wasn't pregnant already, I would have jumped you and ridden you until I was."

Kakashi grinned and nipped at Iruka's lower lip. "Sorry about that Iru. I should have done something sooner. After all, there is no better way to calm you down than a tussle in bed."

Iruka practically purred as Kakashi started to grind softly against him. He lifted his knees, cradling his Jounin lover between his legs. As he friction slowly, tantalizingly increased, the former teacher let his head rest against the mattress, growling in pleasuring.

Smirking, Kakashi reached down and started to pull up on his lover's shirt. He watched hungrily as more tanned skin was revealed and winced slightly when he saw the faint scar that cut across his lover's abdomen.

"Still not able to look at it?" Iruka teased, running a hand through Kakashi's white hair.

Shooting his love a soft glare, Kakashi resumed his quest, finally lifting the shirt from Iruka. Leaning down, he ravished his lover's firm chest, his tongue and lips running over every inch. Iruka growled happily under him as Kakashi focused on his nipples, biting and licking softly.

"Kashi," Iruka panted as the Jounin slid down his body, stopping at the line of his pants.

"Yes?" Kakashi asked, slowly slipping the button free.

The thought flew from Iruka's mind as the zipper was slowly undone, Kakashi's lithe fingers continuing down to brush over his covered erection. He panted harder as Kakashi cupped him, teasingly massaging him.

"Yes?" Kakashi repeated, smiling menacingly.

"Bastard," Iruka moaned.

"Now, Iru, I don't think that is the correct term," Kakashi teased. "I believe Lord of Pleasure or something like that would be more accurate."

Iruka groaned and bucked against the warm, talented hand. He threw his head to one side, glancing at his lover out of the corner of his eye.

"I want these pants off," he hissed as more pressure was applied.

Kakashi nodded and without warning, stripped Iruka of his pants and boxers both. He slid back up his lover's body, causing the former teacher to moan as fabric rubbed against his sensitive skin. Pushing Iruka's legs further apart with his own, Kakashi sat up slightly, balancing his upper body on his hands. He pressed his groin against Iruka's, grinding down with all of his strength. Iruka yowled and started to pant even harder, grinding back.

"Even after all of these years, you still love it when I do that," Kakashi chuckled as Iruka thrashed under him.

"K-Kashi!" Iruka cried as a finger slipped under his bent leg to caress between his ass cheeks.

"Hm?" was all that Kakashi could reply. He was too busy focusing on the finger that was flicking over his lover's opening. The former teacher writhed under him, his hole clenching at the sensations.

"I want you!" Iruka groaned, pressing back against the finger to get it to slip inside of him.

"Patience, Iru," Kakashi laughed. "You'll have me soon."

"Soon isn't soon enough," Iruka snarled.

Resting his forehead against Iruka's, Kakashi nodded a little. His unoccupied hand came up to rest on Iruka's chest, playing with his abused nipples. Meanwhile, his hips continued their merciless grind. The other hand tightened into a lose fist, one finger extended. He kissed Iruka's forehead lightly as his finger pressed against the ring of muscle, slipping in with relative ease.

Gasping, Iruka bucked against him, throwing his head back again. He lifted his hips to meet Kakashi's as the finger started to slide in and out of him.

"Kashi, Kashi, Kashi," he panted repeatedly, trying his hardest to get the finger inside of him to brush his favorite spot.

Laughing softly, Kakashi drove his finger in, aiming for the spot he knew so well. Iruka's eyes widened and he howled a little, his thrusts becoming more frantic. While he was distracted a second finger slid in, then a third. By the time that Kakashi had him adequately prepared, Iruka was completely undone.

Smirking at his lover, Kakashi pulled out his fingers, reveling in Iruka's disappointed whine. Lining himself up with the former teacher's hole, he slowly pushed in. He and Iruka both groaned loudly as they came together, their breaths hitching as Kakashi finally slid all the way in.

Iruka panted harshly, resting his forehead against Kakashi's shoulder. A shiver ran up the Jounin's spine as he fought to keep control, waiting for his lover to give him permission. Meeting the loving gaze, Iruka smiled softly and nodded once.

Slowly, Kakashi pulled back, sliding most of the way out. Iruka rested back against the soft blanket, trying to relax before Kakashi snapped his hips. The former teacher gasped as his lover brushed against his prostate, filling his vision with white flashes of pleasure.

"What do you want, Iru?" Kakashi moaned as he thrust harder into his boyfriend.

"More," Iruka groaned in reply, wrapping his arms around the back of Kakashi's neck.

The two lovers kissed passionately as Kakashi complied, pounding as hard as he could into the former teacher. Any concerns he'd had were thrown out the window as Iruka thrashed and groaned loudly under him, driving Kakashi's libido to new heights.

Breaking the kiss, Kakashi quickly glanced down at Iruka's bulging pelvis. He smiled as his gaze traveled further down to where he and his lover were connected. Letting one hand rest carefully on Iruka's stomach, Kakashi slowed down his thrusts, timing them with the soft caresses he was giving the former teacher's bump.

"Kashi," Iruka whined, his nails digging into the back of the Jounin's neck.

"Patience, Iru," Kakashi purred mischievously, slowing his thrusts even more. "We wouldn't want our child to think they were created through a quick fuck, would we?"

Iruka hissed as Kakashi's dick slid over his prostate again, slow and torturous. He threw his head back, wiggling his hips to try and speed up his lover.

"Please," he growled, his teeth sharpening into long fangs.

Kakashi could feel the claws digging into his skin, drawing blood. He smirked as he watched his lover completely unwind. He had Iruka right where he wanted him: begging.

"Please what?" he asked, nipping at Iruka's lips.

The Ookami snarled and lashed out, grabbing Kakashi's hips. He forcefully brought the Jounin's hips forward as fast and as hard as he could, howling at the feeling.

"Fuck me," the former teacher moaned.

Kakashi groaned and panted as he finally complied with the demands. He sped up, taking his lover with as much strength as he could muster. Iruka happily growled and moaned in response, pressing back against his boyfriend's thrusts with just as much vigor.

Iruka tried to hang on as long as he could, but it only took a few more strokes along his prostate to force him into full ecstasy. With a howl, he came, spilling all over his lover's chest and stomach. His muscles clamped around Kakashi and the Jounin gritted his teeth. He pounded in a few more times before he followed his lover, milked for everything he was by that warm heat.

Collapsing onto the bed, the pair of lovers panted and moaned. Rolling off of Iruka, Kakashi snuggled up to his side and unconsciously started to softly rub his stomach. As he caught his breath, Iruka slowly turned to face the white-haired Jounin. They grinned at each other and kissed chastely as Kakashi continued to pet the bump that was their second child.

Beyond the protection jutsu of the Hakate compound, a ninja dressed in black sat waiting. He scowled at the house, snarling incoherently at the inhabitants inside. He knew what they were up to and he didn't like it one bit.

Hearing rustling behind him, the man glanced back to see another come up behind him, dressed in the same black clothing. The second man knelt next to him and their eyes met.

"Enjoy that?" the second man sneered.

"Not at all," the first man growled. "Have you got it?"

The second man nodded and, reaching into his jacket, pulled out a file filled with papers. He casually opened the file and flipped through the contents, smirking at his companion.

"The boss will be pleased," the first man said, sighing at his partner's pride in himself.

"Of course. I managed to get the mutt's file. Who wouldn't be happy?" the second man chuckled. "Come on. The boss is waiting."

The two men disappeared into the night, carrying Iruka's medical files with them.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Iruka woke the following morning to loud pounding on the door. Groaning, he sat up and untangled himself from Kakashi. He stood with some difficulty and stretched his arms above his head. Feeling a warm hand on his lower back, Iruka smiled over his shoulder at his weary lover.

"Come back to bed. I'll go see who it is," the Jounin yawned.

"It's okay, Kashi. I'm already up," Iruka laughed as he started to search for his pants.

"But you're pregnant, Iru. You should be sleeping more than me," Kakashi whined a little.

"Stop being so overprotective," Iruka chuckled, leaning over to peck his lover on the nose. "It's cute up to a point."

"Fine," Kakashi groaned, flopping back down onto the bed, "But be back in no more than five minutes."

"I can't promise that," Iruka replied, rolling his eyes as he pulled on a pair of jeans.

Waddling out into the hallway, the Chuunin crept past his son's bedroom as quietly as he could. He'd made it only six steps beyond the door when it slid open to reveal the white-haired boy.

"Morning, Papa," Shinobu said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hi Shin. Did you sleep well?"

The boy shook his head. "I'm still tired," he whined.

"Go get in bed with Chichi. I'll be right back," Iruka said, patting his son's white locks of hair.

"Okay," their son yawned as he padded towards the master bedroom.

Finally reaching the front hall, Iruka slowly made his way to the door. Unlocking the latch, he opened it and just had time to jump back as Tsunade came running in. She looked around frantically before forcing the Chuunin to slam the door shut and lock it.

"Tsunade-san-"

"-Is anyone else here, Iruka?" the Hokage asked frantically.

"Of course. Kakashi and Shinobu-"

"-Anyone else?"

"No. It's five a.m."

"Good."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Tsunade led Iruka into the kitchen and threw herself in one of the chairs at the table. She motioned for Iruka to sit down and the pregnant Ookami took the one next to her.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Unfortunately. A problem, a huge one, has arisen," Tsunade said slowly.

"Okay?"

"Someone broke into Headquarters last night. Shizune found one of the windows to the medical file room open this morning," the Hokage continued. "Your file was stolen."

"My file?"

"Yes! Your file! It contains information on every medical exam you've had in your lifetime, even those since your return," Tsunade said.

Iruka paled.

"Do we know who took it?" he asked.

"I'd bet anything on that assassin that tried to kill Neji," Iruka snarled.

"The assassin is dead, Iru," Kakashi reminded him as he stalked into the room.

"Yes, but when you're going after someone as powerful as an Ookami Hyuuga, who also just happens to be the Kazekage's lover, you don't want to do it alone," the Chunnin replied. "Do we have any evidence?"

The Hokage shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. They just came in and left. There isn't even a chakra signature to track."

"Well then what are we going to do?" the Chunnin asked.

"We don't really have any options at this point. Your medical file could be anywhere, even as far as the edge of the Fire Country by now," Tsunade sighed.

"One thing's for sure: you're not going anywhere without me," Kakashi said fiercely. When he saw the look that Iruka was giving him, he quickly added, "There's no reason to not be careful. You're six months along, Iru."

Nodding in agreement, Iruka turned back to the Hokage. "Should I alert Neji as to what has happened?"

"No, the medical files that we still have on your cousin weren't even looked through, as far as we can tell. He should be safe with the extra precautions that Gaara has taken," Tsunade said.

Iruka breathed a small sigh of relief. "What would be the point in taking my medical file?" he asked.

"We aren't sure, but our best bet is that whoever took it is looking for some sort of weakness that you have, physical I mean. Otherwise, it's someone trying to look into Ookami pregnancies, though I very much doubt it," Tsunade sighed, shaking her head.

Wrapping his arms around his lover's shoulders, Kakashi rested his chin of the dark head of hair. He breathed in the scent of his worried boyfriend, one hand caressing the side of the former teacher's neck.

"We'll find out who took it, Iru," he murmured.

"In the meantime, I need to perform a whole body examination," Tsunade said. "All of the data, your weight, size, everything was in that file."

Nodding, Iruka said, "We'll need to get someone to watch Shinobu."

"Of course. I brought Sakura along with me, actually. She can watch him for you," the Hokage replied.

"Thank you, Hokage."

After waking the little boy up for a few minutes to explain where they were going, Iruka and Kakashi headed to the hospital with Tsunade. Eyes followed them as they passed, but having Kakashi's hand on his lower back helped Iruka mentally and emotionally.

He was in his fifth month now and showing enough for it to be seen easily under his shirt. People had started to gossip. They had easily accepted Shinobu, but Iruka wasn't sure if a second child, one actually born in Kohona, would be as easily accepted. No one could pretend that Iruka wasn't pregnant and that it wasn't possible like they could with Shinobu. This time, it was directly in front of their faces.

"Ignore them, Iru," Kakashi whispered in his ear. "They don't know anything, don't understand anything. You're a ninja who serves your village well."

Iruka nodded, but the frown onto increased. He was relieved when they finally arrived at the hospital, rushing up the stairs as quickly as he could. Tsunade led them to a private examination room on the third floor, locking the door behind them. Iruka breathed a sigh of relief as he lay down on the metal examination table, shrugging his shoulders a little to get more comfortable. Kakashi stood by the door, seemingly guarding it as Tsunade started to examine his lover. After a few minutes, Tsunade sat back, smiling.

"Well I can tell you that everything is fine," the Hokage said as she helped Iruka sit up. "Both Iruka and the baby are healthy and there seem to be no complications, even with the old scar."

Her grin widened.

"I even know the sex, but I can only tell you if you want to know."

Kakashi and Iruka exchanged a glance.

"It's up to you, Iru."

Turning back to Tsunade, the teacher nodded.

"Well gentlemen, you're expecting a girl."

Iruka beamed with happiness, leaping down from the table. Kakashi met him halfway across the room, picking up the smaller Chuunin. They kissed passionately, tongues intertwining in their hot mouths until Tsunade coughed softly. Reluctantly setting Iruka down, Kakashi looked over at the Hokage with his single eye, resting his chin on top of his lover's head.

"Despite this, I would advise you to be careful from now on. You are free to have sex throughout the remainder pregnancy so that is not what I mean. I just mean with Iruka being on his own, really," Tsunade said.

"Because of the missing files?" Iruka asked.

The Hokage nodded. "You never know what they may find in there that they think would be helpful."

"Kakashi is already with me nearly all the time!" Iruka said.

"I'm just asking that you both be more wary of your surroundings," Tsundae replied.

"We're already discussed this, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said, his hand resting gently on Iruka's lower stomach.

"Yes, we have, but I don't want to lose two of my best shinobi because of a dull-minded moment," Tsunade said. She smiled at them once again and shooed them away. "I'm sure that you have people to tell. They'll be trilled to have a Hatake daughter for the first time in nearly four generations."

The couple walked through Konoha, holding hands and grinning. When they arrived home, Shinobu ran to greet them, practically bursting through the front door.

"Papa! Chichi!" he shouted, leaping into Kakashi's arms. "Welcome back!"

"Have you been good, Shinobu?"

"Of course not."

"Good boy."

Iruka rolled his eyes at the tradition between his lover and son, turning to Sakura.

"Did it go well?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked, jogging down the front steps of the Hatake compound.

Nodding, Iruka grinned at her.

"Shinobu," Kakashi said slowly, spinning his son around to face Iruka, "We have something to tell you."

"About the baby?" Shinobu asked excitedly.

"Well, yes actually. You're going to have a little sister in four months," Iruka replied.

Shinobu's grin widened and let out a happy howl, his white ears flicking back and his tail swishing wildly. He trotted over to Iruka and laid a hand over his bulging abdomen, petting it. His eyes were wide as he chattered to the unborn baby.

"Congratulations," Sakura said. "It'll be nice to have another strong girl in this village. Too many boys running around."

Laughing, Iruka started running his fingers through his son's white hair. His heart swelled with pride, his own tail sweeping around to bump Shinobu's. He was going to have a daughter.

"Have you started thinking about names yet?" Sakura asked.

"No, not really. There's been so much else going on that I've hardly had time to think about it," Iruka laughed.

"Besides, we have another four months until she's born. That's plenty of time," Kakashi said, wrapping his arm around his lover's waist.

"Kurenai-san said that time goes by fast! Four months will be over before we know it!" Shinobu cried.

"Then we'll just have to start thinking of names soon," Iruka said, ruffling his son's white hair.

"Kurenai-san also said that her name is good for a girl," Shinobu added.

"And did she give you a name for if it was a boy?" Iruka asked.

"No. She said that you were definitely going to have a girl. Motherly intuition she said."

Kakashi cocked his one visible eyebrow and smirked underneath his mask. "Kurenai said that? I didn't know she could even think like a woman."

He dodged a quick blow to the head from Iruka, sauntering into the house. Shinobu glanced up at his papa, frowning slightly, but Iruka replied only with a slight ruffling of his hair.

"Thank you so much Sakura for watching him," the Chuunin said.

"It was no problem, Iruka-sensei. Be safe and again congratulations."

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A/N: I'm sorry that this has been so long in waiting. I've been super busy and been working on other stories (which you should read fyi). It wasn't very exciting, but I'm hoping the next one will be. Besides, we know that it is a girl! Imagine Kakashi with a girl haha.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: A new chapter. While short, I felt the need to post. Sorry that the last few have been so short, but I feel like posting more often is probably better. Anyway, remember to READ, REVIEW, REPEAT! This story is now up to 34 reviews! We need some more!**

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Chapter 11

Another two months had passed and Iruka had just started his seventh month of pregnancy. His hormones were in full swing and Kakashi had already had to dodge several flying kunai and even a chair at one point. It didn't help that the ANBU that Tsunade had sent out a few ANBU to try and track down whoever it was that stole Iruka's files hadn't found any leads. That fact only set the Ookami on edge, making him more irritable than he had been before.

In order to calm down his lover, Kakashi had been forced (or rather willingly accepted) to have a regular schedule of pampering, whether it was a foot massage or full out sex. Kakashi did not mind at all. He was stuck at home most of the time anyway, unwilling to take any difficult missions until after the baby was born and Shinobu was sent to school on the weekdays, leaving the two men home alone.

Kakashi had discovered during this time however, that he was even more perverted than he had originally though. Due to Iruka's size, sex in their usual fashion was almost impossible. It was too hard on the Ookami's back or just plain uncomfortable. They had taken to having sex while laying on their sides, Kakashi behind his lover and one of the former teacher's lithe legs held up with the Jounin's strong hand. Since Kakashi liked to see his lover's face as they made love, he had bought a mirror so that he could see Iruka's every reaction. At first, Iruka had been opposed to it, but he'd come to find that he too had missed seeing Kakashi when they came together and had begrudgingly accepted it.

This was where they lay when the news arrived. Shinobu had been sent off to school and the pair of lover were laying on their bed, breathing hard. Iruka's eyes were only half open and his body was practically melting into the mattress. His dark hair was wild and loose, falling gently over the silk sheets. Kakashi was behind him, still buried inside his lover. One arm was under Iruka's head, acting as the pillow. The other was wrapped around the bulging stomach, his hand gently caressing the stretched skin. Their clothes lay in a heap on the floor.

Leaning over his lover, Kakashi nipped at the curve of his ear, smirking when he heard a faint groan. His hand started tracing curved lines on his lover's stomach, gently caressing the skin. Slowly he kissed and bit at the back of Iruka's neck, working his way down when loud shouts broke through the air.

Kakashi bolted up, grabbing his pants that lay at the end of the bed. Groaning, Iruka sat up and slowly followed his lover. He wrapped a towel around his waist as kneeling to pull up his pants was now getting difficult. By the time he reached the kitchen, Kakashi was already dressed in his ninja uniform and strapping his kunai bag on his leg.

"I'm going to see what's going on," Kakashi said, quickly pecking Iruka on the lips before pulling up his mask. "If there's trouble, I'll go find Shinobu and bring him home."

"Alright, I'm going to transform into wolf form. It'll be easier to flee if necessary," Iruka replied as he pushed his lover towards the door.

As soon as Kakashi was gone, Iruka slumped into the kitchen, his weariness apparent on his face. With a groan, he quickly grabbed his prenatal vitamins and tossed them down with a swig of water from the sink. Opening the fridge, he found some leftover rice from the night before. He wolfed it down cold, not caring at all about the lack of heat in the food. He couldn't take chances in the current situation. Speed and strength were everything to the pregnant man.

Tossing the bowl in the sink, Iruka slipped into the living room for some additional space. Since his pregnancy, the transition from man to wolf had become easier, more fluid even. However, the easier transformations had also given him some new sort of excitement and adrenaline whenever he was in his wolf form. He had destroyed a table in Tsunade's office only a few months earlier in his springing excitement.

Reaching the center of the room, Iruka quickly slid down towards the floor, his body morphing in its shape. Soft fur grew wildly from the skin as the hands curled into paws tipped with long black claws. His wolf ears sprung up from his head as the human ones receded. His abnormally long tail swished behind him as the transformation came to completion. The heavy belly swayed slightly as he happily shook his coat and chased his tail, his claws scratching lightly on the wooden floor.

The burst of energy gone, Iruka settled down onto his haunches to wait. For a long time, the village outside was mostly silent, captured in the spell of tension that arose before a battle. Taking a steady breath, Iruka tried to calm himself. His ears pricked at the rustling of leaves as the wind blew softly and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the soft chattering of a squirrel in the backyard.

Iruka gasped softly when his sensitive ears picked up the first explosion of battle. He leapt up from his sitting place, rushing towards the nearest window, leaping up onto the couch to get to it. Pressing his snout to the glass, he growled softly at the smoke that rose in the distance. With a growl, he ripped himself away from the window and settled back onto the floor, his whole body tensed. He knew he couldn't join the battle, not in the state he was in, but it didn't make the want go away. His ninja instincts, the ones that he had trained so hard to get, were a permanent part of him.

An explosion rocked the village and Iruka sprung forward, his instincts in full drive. He couldn't contain himself as he rushed to the front door and broke it open with a loud howl. Snarling, he took off into the street, running against the flow of citizens fleeing from the fighting. Another howl took him by surprise and he whipped around to see a small white pup come tearing towards him. He barked and snarled as he approached his son, pulling the pup in towards his swollen stomach. Shinobu whined softly, his white ears pressed to the top of his head.

"Iruka!"

The black wolf raised his head to see Kurenai running towards him. She was dressed in her ninja uniform, hair tied back.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" she cried as she approached the two wolves. "You shouldn't be out here!"

Iruka snarled a little, snapping his jaws. Kurenai pulled back a little as the wolf's growl deepened. The ice blue of his winter-based powers seeped into his irises, taking over like an invasive weed. Shinobu whined a little bit, kneading the end of his father's long tail with a paw. Iruka glanced down at the pup, nipping his ear affectionately.

"Iruka? If everything alright?"

The Ookami glanced back up at her, snarling a little. Iruka didn't know why he was suddenly so hostile especially towards a close family friend and comrade. Somewhere, deep in his heart, anger as raw as anything he'd ever felt sprang forth and he let out a howl. The people around them, terrified, scurried away, screaming.

Kurenai was frozen on the stop as Iruka stood. Shinobu stayed where he was, his ears pricking forward. Bearing his teeth, the Ookami leapt forward with a snarl. Kurenai leapt out of the way as the wolf soared past her, foam boiling from between his teeth as he ran. The kunoichi watched as Iruka raced towards the battlefield, her mouth hanging open. She only looked down when Shinobu yanked on the cuff of her sleeve with his teeth. Nodding, she picked him up and dashed towards the Academy, the safe zone for all citizens and non-active ninja.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Aha! A new chapter. Sorry its taken me so long but we just finished classes today and finals studying week has started so I finally had a little bit of time to write this. I hope you enjoy it. Remember: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT. Some of my other stories need a little loving too.

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Chapter 12

Kakashi was battling on the front lines, cutting his way through a crowd of ninja. The kunai in his had was drenched in his blood and half of his face was dripping the sticky, red liquid. His Sharigan was whirling as he struck down another faceless opponent. Shouts rose from the battlefield around him, but he ignored them. His mind was focused on the man he knew stood at the other end of the battlefield. He had seen the man from a great distance, but he had no problem recognizing the chakra signature.

Snarling, he tossed his kunai aside and quickly summoned a few ninken. The dogs leapt at the nearest opponent, tearing at their throats with long, sharp fangs. Explosions rocked the open field as Kakashi rushed forward again, ducking under a giant shurikan as it sailed over him.

"Boss!" Pakkun shouted out as he rushed over to Kakashi, his flat nose splashed with blood.

"Pakkun, what are you doing here?" Kakashi asked.

"The pup is safe so I came back to assist," the pug replied.

"We need to break through the lines. Can you find Tsunade and ask if she has any further orders?" Kakashi asked.

The pug huffed in agreement and took off, his abnormal athletic build racing across the bloody field. Kakashi turned around just in time to see a glint and duck just in time. The kunai scraped the side of his head and the opposing ninja growled in rage. Forcing an electric current into his hand, Kakashi jammed his fist into the hollow between the man's ribs. He smiled a little when the ninja let out a howl of pain, his body convulsing from the electricity that flowed easily through it.

As the man's body fell to the ground, Kakashi looked around. Guy and some of the other Jounin were up ahead of him, trying to dispatch of their opponents as quickly and efficiently as possible. Kiba and Akamaru were mowing over at least half a dozen ninja with their powerful twin attacks while others were being bitten into submission by Shino's army of bugs. Rock Lee was fighting along side his teacher and Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi's hands were encased in blue chakra as she delivered one harsh blow after another.

Seeing an incoming attack, Kakashi sped forward, his hands forming a series of complex signs. Slamming into the other ninja, he delivered a harsh blow to the man's neck, the force of his overpowering chakra snapping the man's neck in half.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai screamed.

The white-haired Jounin turned to look at the kunoichi as she approached. His eyebrows furrowed.

"I thought you were supposed to be protecting the Academy?" Kakashi asked.

"I was, but I thought you'd need to know first," Kurenai panted. "Something is going on, something bad. Not ten minutes ago, I saw Iruka out in the streets in his wolf form. When I approached him, he snarled and tried to attack me!"

Before Kakashi could reply, several shuriken cut the air between him and kunoichi. Springing into action, they replied in force with two well-placed shuriken of their own, the little stars embedding themselves in the attacker's eyes.

"Where is he now?" Kakashi asked.

"I don't know! He ran off and I had to take Shinobu to safety first," the kunoichi said.

"Shit! What the hell is that idiot thinking?" Kakashi snarled.

"I don't think he was. His Ookami side almost seemed to be in control, like it was all instinctual!" Kurenai shouted. "Kakashi, behind you!"

Kicking out, Kakashi threw his newest attacker back, the man hitting the ground hard before several rabid ninken leapt on top of him, tearing at his throat.

"Does Tsunade know yet?" Kakashi asked.

Kurenai shook her head. "Do you want me to go looking for him?"

"No, report back to the Academy. The dogs will probably find him before we can. I have a feeling that his parental instincts kicked in and he fled to safer ground."

With a nod, the kunoichi took off, leaping over dead bodies with ease. Almost on cue, one of the ninken, a large terrier, dashed off in search of the familiar wolfy scent of Iruka. Kakashi whirled around to meet his next opponent, dispatching the man easily with a furious Chidori to the chest. The chakra inside him was rampant, nearly out of control. He couldn't even tell if it was from the thrill of the battle or the rage that was burning inside of him.

"Stupid Iru," he snapped quietly under his breath as he ran over to help Sasuke with an especially tough ninja. "Where the hell are you?"

He came up behind Sasuke, both of them summoning up another chidori. Their opponent easily dodged the twin punches, quickly ducking under to kick at Sasuke's knee. The last Uchiha leapt up to avoid the sweep, but was caught in the back by the man's other heel as he came back down. Kakashi threw a handful of shurikan at the downed man, but once again, the other ninja easily avoided them. Panting hard, Kakashi was about to formulate another set of seals when a loud howl cut through the air and he was splashed with blood. The other ninja screamed in pain as a giant black form bore down on him, jaws snapping and claws gleaming red with blood. Sasuke and Kakashi backed off a little as the wolf snapped the man's neck, silencing his screams.

"Iru?"

The Ookami's eyes turned up to him, the ice blue eye focusing on them. Kakashi nearly gasped in shock. The blue color of the irises had seeped from beyond their black-ringed boundaries, flowing to cover the pupil in a thin layer of clouds. Snarling at them, the wolf snapped it jaws at Sasuke. The pregnant belly swayed a little with the wolf's movements.

"What the-"

A yell of triumph from up ahead and the wolf turned it attention from them. Growling deep in his throat, the wolf bared his fangs. A shiver ran up Kakashi's spine, although he couldn't tell if it was caused by the furious tone in his lover's growl or the sudden chill in the air.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Kakashi glanced down at his feet, frowning. The grass beneath his sandals was turning a strange shade of white and the substance had even started to creep up onto his shoes. Jerking back, he threw a quick glance over at the pregnant Ookami. The wolf's growl grew deeper as the air around him started to shimmer with white sparkles.

"Fuck! Everyone, get back to the village now!" he shouted.

"Ka-"

"Just fucking do it Guy!" the white-haired Jounin practically screamed.

The dark-haired man frowned, but nodded in response as he dispatched his current opponent and, grabbing Lee by the back of the neck, took off in the direction of the Konoha.

"Kakashi, what the hell is going on?" Sasuke asked from behind the Jounin.

"Go back to Konoha, Sasuke," Kakashi snarled, his tone copying that of his wolfish lover.

"Fuck that, you-"

Something snapped loudly and Kakashi whipped around just in time to hear Iruka's growl rise into a howl. The Ookami threw himself onto his back legs, his front paws curling down against the curve of his pregnant stomach. His long tail stood proud and the ears were tight against his head.

"Fuck! Iru!"

Kakashi threw himself at his lover as the world exploded in a flash of white. He gripped the black fur tightly in his fists. Everything around him seemed to freeze and all life except him and the wolf that was his lover ceased to exist. He couldn't hear anything over the wind that howled in his ears, pulling and yanking and slashing at his clothes. Snow clung to his body as it rushed past and ice was starting to form on his eyelashes. Only Iruka's heat cut through the cold, reminding him that the wolf was still there.

Suddenly, the howling stopped and everything seemed to settle. Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, gasping at what he saw.

Everything was covered in snow, a thick sheet having fallen in the sheer few moments that the storm had raged. The bodies of the dead and supposed living were buried, completely covered so that it was impossible to tell where they were. Leaves had been ripped from the trees of the forest around Konoha, leaving the branches bare. The fields of vegetation had been stripped away, including the village crops.

Dropping back down onto all fours, Iruka growled softly at his lover. Kakashi turned his attention back to the wolf as Iruka nuzzled his neck with his muzzle, whining softly. The blue eyes had returned to their normal state, the pupil once again black and dark. Wrapping an arm across Iruka's flanks, Kakashi buried his face in his lover's side, his other hand busy stroking the enlarged stomach.

"Fuck Iru, don't do that again," Kakashi murmured, head-butting the wolf's side lightly.

The wolf whined in reply, his tail swishing to make contact with Kakashi's leg. Standing up, the white-haired Jounin looked around them.

"Do you think anyone is still alive?"

Iruka's ears pricked and he nuzzled Kakashi's pant leg, yipping in affirmation. Kakashi glanced down at his lover, who seemed to give him an almost wolfy grin.

"Don't look so smug, Iru. You could have wiped out the whole village if you wanted," Kakashi said, petting the wolf on the head.

Suddenly, not a few feet from them, Sasuke burst up through the snow, panting. He fixed his wide eyes on Kakashi and Iruka, snarling.

"Oh look who it is. You always did favor your former students, Iru," Kakashi joked softly, the wolf yipping in reply.

"What the hell was that?" Sasuke snarled, his eyes narrowing into slits.

As others around them started to rise from the snow, all confused and shocked, Kakashi sobered. He glanced down at Iruka who shook a few stray flakes of snow form his coat. The Ookami seemed completely unperturbed by the angry Uchiha a few feet away, trotting over to another spot to start digging in the snow. With his help, Sakura burst through the snow with the same wide eyes as the others.

"That was Iruka's full power. He's told me about it before. The only other time he's ever used it was when he escaped from Himura's compound, when he killed supposedly hundreds of men by freezing them to death."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: FINALLY! Sorry that it's been so long since I updated. I had serious writer's block on this story and school work kept be busy for quite a while. Well, this isn't my best chapter, but enjoy. REMINDER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

* * *

Chapter 13

Sasuke's gaze flicked back and forth from Kakashi and Iruka and back again.

"You're serious," he said.

Kakashi nodded as his lover trotted around in the snow, digging up more and more Konoha ninja. Others who hadn't managed to escape the storm quickly crawled out of the holes that Iruka was digging for them in the snow. Stepping over to Kakashi, they all shivered and waited for orders of any kind from anyone. No one knew what to do.

Looking around, Kakashi noticed that every Konoha ninja that had gone into the battle had miraculously survived, even some of the younger ones. Many had cuts and wounds; a few were even unconscious when the medics that had been carting them off of the field managed to drag them out of the snow. Everyone, however, was alive.

Feeling something brush up against his leg, Kakashi gently rubbed his lover's head. The wolf whimpered slightly, shuffling his feet in the snow. Frowning, Kakashi glanced down at the wolf. His ears were back against his head and his gaze was focused on the bare forest beyond the battlefield. The abnormally long black tail was still.

The other ninjas around them all turned their attention to the wolf.

"What is he doing?" Sakura asked, rubbing her hands together to warm them.

"What the fuck?" Sasuke snarled. "One minute, he's ripping out someone's throat, the next he's completely calm and watchful!"

Iruka growled a little, but didn't move from his position. Throwing up his hands, Sasuke rolled his eyes as this former teacher.

"What the hell happened?" Tsunade shouted as she leapt down to them.

"Kakashi says that Iruka unleashed some sort of fucking snow storm on us," another ninja replied.

Tsunade glanced over at the Jounin and his wolf lover and said nothing. She nodded once.

"Do we know if any of the missing-nin are alive?" the Hokage asked.

Iruka slapped Kakashi's leg once with his tail.

"They're all dead," the Jounin translated.

One ear flicked backwards in affirmation.

"Everyone report back to Headquarters. The injured will see the medics," the Hokage said, rubbing her eyes. She paused for a moment, flicking her gaze to Kakashi and Iruka. "You two, come with me."

Bending down, Kakashi gently pulled on one of Iruka's ears. "Come on, Iru."

The wolf whined, shaking his head to get Kakashi to let go of his ear. He took one step back, but didn't look away from the forest. Sighing, Kakashi stood up and started to follow Tsunade back towards the village. He smiled a little when he heard a soft whine and the crunching of snow. The Jounin held out his hand and Iruka nuzzled it as he caught up with his lover.

An hour and a half later, Iruka was up on an examination table, back in his human form. He was on his back, rubbing his stomach gently with one hand. The other arm was tucked under his head. His eyes were shut and his head turned towards the wall. Kakashi sat beside him, his hand moving with his lover's across the stretched stomach. Neither of them spoke. It wasn't necessary. Iruka knew his lover was mad at him for what he'd done or rather that he'd endangered himself, but at the same time, Kakashi understood that what Iruka had done had mostly been beyond his control.

The door to the room opened and Tsunade stepped in, sighing loudly as she closed the door behind her. Her twin pigtails were a mess and her jacket was soaked in blood, but she didn't seem to notice. Brushing her palm across her forehead, she smeared a small scar of ink over her skin.

"You're lucky that the old Council from before the war isn't around anymore," she admitted as Iruka's eyes opened and flicked to her. "You would have been executed in a heartbeat."

Iruka's heart sank for a moment as he felt Kakashi's hand stop on his stomach. He glanced over at his lover and the Jounin fixed him with a hard glare before it quickly softened. The pale-haired man resumed rubbing Iruka's stomach as Tsunade retrieved a clipboard from the desk in the corner. Flipping through the pages, her eyebrows rose in surprise and she shook her head.

"I don't know how, but both of you are fine. Better than fine, actually. This pregnancy seems to be going perfectly," the Hokage said, a hint of awe in her voice.

"My Ookami nature is what allowed to get pregnant in the first place," Iruka explained. "Those same powers can't do anything to the baby it helped create. Releasing them every once in a while is even good for us."

Nodding absentmindedly, Tsunade set the clipboard aside. "That being said, I wish you hadn't rushed off into battle like that and before you start protesting, I know it was instinct that drove you rather than your own choice. Still, I want you to try and refrain from doing so again."

"I don't know how we're going to do that," Iruka sighed. "It would be like you or Kakashi trying to stop yourselves from breathing or freezing your chakra flow by yourselves."

"I'll bind you to a bed if I have to," the Hokage snapped. "The battlefield is a stressful and dangerous place. Not only could the baby die, but you could as well. I don't like it when my patients die, Iruka."

Nodding in agreement, the former teacher placed his hand on top of Kakashi's, shifting his back a little to make himself more comfortable. The silver-haired Jounin clasped their hands together, his eyes focused on their joined fingers.

"Himura was certainly behind this attack," Tsunade said. When the other ninja stared at her in shock, she continued, "He escaped without us knowing. One of his guards was a lower-ranked Hyuuga, one that held a strong hatred for Neji. He and Hinata's father thought that if Himura were free that he would kill your cousin."

"I knew that Hyuuga-sama didn't like Neji at all, especially after he revealed himself to the whole village, but I never thought he'd actually try and do something so malicious," Iruka growled.

"It would seem that Hiashi Hyuuga hates his nephew more than any of us thought. This plot was kept a secret from the rest of the Clan, I can guarantee. Hinata would have alerted me right away if she'd heard even a slight whisper about what her father was planning," Tsunade said.

"Will he be tried for treason?" Kakashi snarled, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived at the hospital.

"Yes. The Anbu has already taken him and the other Hyuuga into custody. If you want to be the executor, Kakashi, I'm sure that the other Anbu would let you."

The white-haired Jounin shook his head. "I'm sure that there are others who want a crack at him. He's been a bastard to nearly everyone for years."

Iruka squeezed Kakashi's hand tightly, silently thanking him. He knew that Kakashi had enough deaths that infiltrated his consciousness and darkened his dreams at night. He didn't need one from his own village, even if the man was a traitor.

"Well, I need to go address the huddled masses," Tsunade muttered. "They're waiting for a report."

"What about Himura? What will we do about him?" Iruka asked.

"He's gone into hiding. I sent out Anbu an hour ago. None could find him, even after you got rid of the snow."

_Fuck_, Iruka thought.

"We'll find him, Iru," Kakashi murmured.

"He's a slippery bastard, isn't he?" the Ookami snarled.

Kakashi nodded in agreement and helped his lover stand, reaching around to rub his lower back when he groaned a little. Iruka pecked him on the check in thanks and sighed.

"I forgot how annoying the limitations pregnancy places on movement are," he growled.

"Only two months or so, Iru and we'll have our second child," Kakashi reminded him.

"I know and I shouldn't be complaining. It's just going to get harder," Iruka sighed.

"You can complain all you want, love. Just don't try to castrate me or anything when you get angry," Kakashi chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his lover.

Rolling his eyes, Iruka rested his head against Kakashi's shoulder, letting his eyes fall closed. "I'm more forward thinking than that, Kashi. If I castrated you, I'd be practically celibate for life. Where's the fun in that?"

Snickering, Kakashi gripped his lover tightly and teleported away.

* * *

Tsunade stood at the front of the lobby of Hokage Tower, arms crossed over her chest. Every ninja in the entire village, ranking from Jounin down to the youngest Genin was present, standing in a crowd before her. They whispered quietly among themselves, noticing that neither Iruka nor Kakashi were present.

Clearing her throat, Tsunade called for their silence.

"As you are all aware by now, Himura Utake escaped from his prison cell with the help of Hiashi and Tesuke Hyuuga. He also had an army waiting for him at which point he attacked Konoha yet again in his rampage for vengeance. During the attack, Iruka Umino in his full wolf form eliminated the entire army. However, Himura Utake is still at large and is hiding somewhere. We must be on our guard. He may appear at any time and he is highly dangerous," the Hokage said.

"The number of guards on the walls surrounding the village will be increased and I will be sending ten teams of five into the forest and area around to search for him. Shizune will give you your orders and if anyone finds him, you are free to kill him on the spot," she continued.

"What about Umino-sensei? What happened to him?" one of the Genin asked.

"Iruka is fine. I've sent him home with Kakashi. Neither of them sustained injuries," Tsunade replied. "Dismissed!"

While the other ninja waited for Shizune to give them orders, the Hokage stalked off towards her office. Jogging up the steps, she made it to her office within a minute, closing the door behind her. Sighing, she pulled down her twin pigtails, brushing her fingers through the long locks of blond hair. She took a seat at her desk, glancing down at the file that sat open on it. Every piece of information that ANBU had managed to collect on Himura Utake and his obsession with the Ookami was documented in that file, from his first reported kill to the battle that had taken place only two hours before.

Growing at the photo that was clipped to the front of the paperwork, Tsunade slammed a fist on it, thankfully not breaking her desk in half. She snarled loudly as she tied her hair back up.

"Where are you, little bastard?"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I know that it has been a long time since I updated this story. I keep getting sidetracked with new projects and school. I'm trying to finish this story as efficiently and as gracefully as I can (though there will be at least one more chapter following this). I refuse to abandon any of my work. That would be unfair to anyone who likes this story and unfair to myself as well. JUST REMEMBER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 14

Tsunade was flipping through paperwork, snarling loudly at each and every one. It had been nearly a month since the attack and no one had any new information on the location of Himura Utake. Not only was it frustrating for her, but also it was downright infuriating. Her ANBU hadn't found anything and she didn't dare send Kakashi out, no matter how much she –and he- wanted to.

Iruka was one of their main concerns and with his due date approaching, neither of them wanted to be out of the village when it happened. Tsunade wasn't about to let another doctor care for Iruka and Kakashi wasn't willing to miss the birth as he had with Shinobu. They'd both agreed that it was best for them to remain close to the village.

Snarling, she threw the papers aside and sat back in her chair as they rustled and fell to the floor. She grabbed a bottle of sake and a clay cup, pouring herself a little. As she sipped on it, she swiveled her chair around to stare out over the Kohona. People were milling around in the streets below, having returned to their normal duties since the attack a month before. Vendors sold different wares to those perusing the small shops along the main streets as plain dressed ninja walked with their friends now that they were off duty.

'They're probably heading to the bar,' she thought with a sigh, taking a large gulp of sake. 'That's the one thing about being Hokage. I can't go get a drink with the boys anymore.'

She spun back around in her chair and set the cup down unceremoniously. Picking up another stack of papers, she started to rifle through them, reading the messy script that could only belong to Hatake Kakashi. It was an old mission report that had been pushed aside in the chaos of the past few months, although Tsunade had a sneaking suspicion that Kakashi had purposefully hidden it somewhere so she couldn't chew him out of his bad handwriting.

Just as she was about to throw the report aside, there was a loud knock at her door.

"Come in," she called, looking up.

Shizune slid into the office, a new report clutched in her first. Her face was cool and calm, but Tsunade had known her for years. She recognized the thrilled spark in the dark-haired woman's eyes.

"You have something there," Tsunade said, motioning to the report.

"Yes. An ANBU brought it in a few minutes ago, asking that this be given directly to you, that it was an emergency. I said that I needed to read it first. That is your policy, after all," Shizune explained.

"Yes?" Tsunade asked, trying to prompt her long-time friend.

"So I read it and I found something very interesting in it."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow in curiosity. She slowly stood and held out her hand, motioning for Shizune to hand over the report. The dark-haired woman silently gave it to her, watching as the Hokage turned to the window and unrolled the scroll. A smile slowly spread across Shizune's face, growing into a wild grin when Tsunade whipped back around.

"Are you serious?" Tsunade asked, holding up the report.

Shizune nodded.

"Someone found him."

Kakashi and Shinobu were sitting at the kitchen table a few days later, eating breakfast. The young boy happily ate his food, not aware of the tense feeling that his father was experiencing.

Kakashi was worried about his lover. Iruka hadn't been feeling well since the night before. His stomach was cramping and churning, rendering it hard for him to get out of bed. He had tried the day before and he'd managed through lunch, but then the cramps had gotten worse. Since then, he'd been in bed.

"Chichi, can I go to Arata's?" Shinobu asked, looking up from his bowl.

"I'll take you," the Jounin said.

"Is it still not safe?" Shinobu asked.

Kakashi nodded and stood, motioning for his son. Shinobu grabbed his hand and skipped happily towards the door, rushing outside and into the sun. His father trailed behind him as they walked through the neighborhood, heading for Kurenai's apartment.

People stared at them as they passed, recognizing the silver-haired Jounin and the young Ookami. Kakashi had grown used to the stares after two years with one of the most well known Chuunins in the village. He had always been infamous as Kakashi, the Copy Nin, son of the White Fang of Kohona, but since the first battle with Himura, even the most ignorant of villagers knew Kakashi by look. It also didn't help that his lover was the cousin of a Hyuuga, one of the last Ookamis in the world, and had given birth to the sole Hayate heir.

"Arata!" Shinobu shouted as he raced towards his best friend.

The two boys hugged as Kurenai stood up from where she'd been sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. She smiled at Kakashi, but that quickly vanished when she saw the tense look on her friend's face.

"Is everything okay?" the female Jounin asked.

"Iruka isn't feeling well. I'm getting worried," Kakashi admitted as they watched their sons play.

"Is it the baby?" Kurenai asked, frowning.

"I think so. His stomach hurts and he's been in bed since yesterday afternoon," the silver-haired man explained.

"Have you called Tsunade? What if something is wrong?"

"She came by yesterday afternoon for a few minutes, checked him over, and said that everything was fine. His due date is approaching. She's sure of that."

Kurenai shot her friend a smile.

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Kakashi sighed, rubbing his forehead, "But there's going to be a lot of pain I think before we get there. You know that I hate seeing him hurting."

"Iruka knows what he's doing. He's been through it before. He knows how everything works, but he still wanted to have another child, didn't he?" Kurenai asked.

Smiling a little, Kakashi nodded. His single eye followed Shinobu as he raced around the street, chasing Arata. He treasured his son more than anything else in the world, other than Iruka, of course. That day when Iruka had told him that Shinobu was his son, the result of a beautiful consummation of love and nine months of struggle in captivity for Iruka, Kakashi had nearly burst with pride.

Since then, Shinobu had turned into an even more wonderful little boy. He had all of Iruka's personality, even the mischievousness that his love had been known for during his time at the academy. His kind disposition was what Kakashi himself wished he had the luxury of having.

However, he knew that his son was also a survivor. He'd grown up in the wild, a situation nearly as dangerous as the one Kakashi had been raised in. When his son became a ninja in the future, and Kakashi knew he would, Shinobu would have no problem adjusting back and forth between the wilds of battle and the calm of the village. He'd already gone through it before on that day when Iruka had brought him to Konoha.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "We'll be fine, won't we?"

Kurenai laughed and nodded. "You will be. I have no doubt about that."

"Hatake-sensei!" a voice called.

Both Jounin turned to see Shizune come running towards them, the black sleeves of her jacket flying.

"You need to come now! Tsunade needs you," Shizune shouted.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked as the dark-haired woman stopped beside them.

Glancing around, Shizune dropped her voice to barely a whisper. "Himura has been found."

Iruka lay in bed, groaning quietly as another pain hit. He clutched the sheets tightly as he lifted his knees and spread his legs, trying to alleviate the pain. His black tail swished back and forth wildly and his long fur ears were tight against his head. When it finally passed, he settled back against the cool sheets and let out a sigh on relief. This was bad. He'd heard Kakashi leave with Shinobu over an hour earlier and since then, the pain had gotten only worse.

Slowly, he sat up, biting back a cry as his stomach protested the movement. Sliding his legs off the bed one by one, bracing himself as he lifted his lower body off the bed. He moaned loudly, gripping the bedside table as he finally stood up straight. Limping towards the kitchen, he grabbed the wall tightly, fighting to stay upright. He had to stop several times during his trek, the pain seeming to paralyze him.

By the time he reached the front hall, he knew what was happening. The baby was coming and Kakashi –or anyone else- was there.

He tried to calm himself down, steadying his breathing. He would be okay. He'd given birth to Shinobu in the middle of the forest during a snowstorm after being held captive in a foreign country for months! At least this time he could give birth inside a house let alone in Konoha.

As he moved into the kitchen to try and get some water, he heard a sharp knock at the door. He groaned quietly as another pain hit him, rendering him unable to move. Clutching the wall, he rested his forehead against the plaster, sweat starting to bead on his skin.

The knock came again, along with a voice this time.

"Iruka?" Kurenai shouted through the door.

Jerking up, Iruka let out a moan as the pain finally subsided, panting to catch his breath.

"K-Kurenai-sensei!" he weakly replied.

He held his breath, hoping that she would hear him. When no response came, he tried again. Just then another wave of intense pain hit and let out a yowl.

"Kurenai!"

The door burst open, the female Jounin's eyes wide as she took in the shivering, pain-ridden form of Iruka. Cursing quietly, she rushed to him and helped support his shaking body as the contractions once again died down.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed," she whispered, leading him gently towards the bedroom.

Iruka opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a soft groan as fluid flooded down his pants, soaking the fabric and the skin.

"Fuck!" Kurenai hissed, nearly dragging Iruka down the hallway now. "Come on, Iruka! You'll feel better when you're back in bed. You don't want to have this baby standing up, do you?"

The Ookami let out a weak chuckle, but it quickly dissolved into another groan as Kurenai lugged him through the door to the master bedroom. Yanking down the heavy comforter and additional blankets that Iruka had added to the bed in the past few months, Kurenai threw them in the far corner where they were not needed. When nothing, but the sheets remained, she helped him lay down once again on the cool fabric. Iruka let out a soft moan as the contraction subsided, leaving him panting heavily.

"Stay right here. I'll get you some water and then I'll go for Tsunade and Kakashi, okay?" Kurenai commanded.

Iruka weakly nodded and the female Jounin took off. Lying back against the white sheets, Iruka silently began counting in his head, timing himself to see how far apart the contractions where. This baby was coming fast and he knew it. He just hoped that Kurenai managed to find Kakashi in time. They had agreed that his lover would be present for the birth of his second child and Iruka, even in the throws of pain and suffering, wasn't about to take that away from his beloved silver-haired


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: We're starting to wind down the story, but the drama just keeps on going! I'm so happy that some fans have stuck with this story. I started it what seems like forever ago (almost 10 months) and it still isn't finished. Onward to the finish line (though there will be one more after this!). REMEMBER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 15

When he was asked about it later, Iruka could remember those agonizing minutes alone with extreme clarity. He barely remembered Kurenai leaving, but everything that followed stayed with him. His body was spread out on the bed, claws cutting through the thin, cotton sheets and his legs spread as he gasped and panted. Sweat ran down the sides of his forehead to the sheets, dripping into his hair. The long, dark tresses were loose from when he'd slept the night before and he barely even had the energy or desire to do more than push it back over his shoulders.

The contractions were getting closer and closer together, barely ten minutes apart and he was becoming increasingly more terrified. Glancing at the close, he realized that it had been over forty-five minutes since Kurenai had left, the seconds ticking by with excruciating agony. Neither she, nor Kakashi, nor Tsunade were there. Not even Shizune had come. Shinobu had been left with Arata for the day, probably being watched by one of the elderly grandmothers that lived in the same apartment complex as Kurenai.

Between contractions, he gritted his teeth and slowly reached down to his cotton sleeping pants. Lifting his hips slightly, he easily slipped the cotton off his hips and down to his knees, lifting his legs so he could pull them off each leg. With a groan, he set his feet back on the sheets and draped the pants over his groin. He may not have had the energy to get up and pull down the sheets to give himself some semblance of privacy, but Iruka was not ready for Tsunade to walk in on him half naked. His masculine pride wouldn't allow that.

As he settled back against the cool sheets, he gasped, another contraction ripping through his abdomen. He let out a cry as several spasms shocked through him and his body stretched, preparing for what was coming. Tears came to his eyes as he tried to fight down the pain, calling on his ninja training. None of it helped through when a particularly bad contraction caused all of his stomach muscles to clamp down like they were trying to trying to squeeze all of his inner organs into smaller sizes. He grunted and moaned as he rode out the pain, his fingers struggling in the sheets.

When it passed, he fell back with a sigh of relief as heavy as had ever been heard in the world. His tail, which had been thrashing wildly, lay still against the cotton sheets as he relaxed. Slowly, the muscles in his legs loosened and he moved them out, spreading them further. He planted his heels in the mattress, attempting to stabilize himself more.

"Shit," he cursed quietly, rubbing the sweat from his forehead with his arm.

He covered his eyes with his hands as his panting slowly decreased back to a slightly above normal pace. His heart hammered in his chest, the beats slamming against his ribcage and spine, vibrating through his entire body. His head pounded in time to the beats. Overall, he was in complete agony.

With a sigh, he removed his hands from his face and splayed them gently over his round stomach. It had changed since the pain had begun the night before last. No longer was his belly rounded like he had a ball stuck under his shirt. Now, it was more elongated, oval-like almost. The baby was descending, nestling between his widened hips.

Biting back a moan, Iruka closed his eyes and let his mind drift, trying to ignore the buzzing that had filled his ears.

_He thought back to the day Shinobu had been born, that cold, stormy day up in the Land of Snow. He remembered feeling the first contractions, his water breaking and soaking the single pair of pants that he had owned at the time. He reminisced about clearing away the snow at the base of the great oak tree and settling onto the cold, hard, winter ground. He recalled leaning up against the tree, bark cutting into his scalp, back and shoulders as he'd prepared for birth. He reminded himself of how the birth had gone completely wrong, leaving him crying, gasping, and bloody. He shuddered at the thought of cutting himself open to retreat the infant Shinobu. He thought about the wolf that had approached him, offering its extra energy to the Ookami so both the Chuunin and his newborn could live._

Suddenly, another contract hit and Iruka nearly reared forward with a short scream. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to block it out, he really did, but the pain was too much. His entire form shuddered wildly as he gripped his knees tightly, fighting to stay upright.

When it was over, the former teacher plopped himself down on the pillows, scooting up so his back was upright. He nearly sobbed with relief as the pain in his back lessened down to an ache rather than fire running up his spine.

A bead of sweat ran down his forehead to his nose, trickling down the cheek to his chin where it fell silently onto his shirt. His face was flushed, his whole body soaked with heat. He was just about to reach for the hem of his shirt when he heard a door burst open.

"Iruka!"

The Chuunin bit his lip, groaning loudly as another contraction ripped through him. His upper body rolled forward, his toes curling from the pain was Kakashi, Kurenai, and Tsunade burst into the room. The silver-haired Jounin raced to his side, grabbing Iruka's clenched hand. Iruka barely felt the cool hand of his lover wipe the sweat from his forehead, clenching his teeth as he struggled with the pain.

"Here!" Tsunade shouted as she tossed Kakashi a clean towel she'd found in the closet. "Drape this over his legs."

Shaking in terror, Kakashi quickly replaced the dark sweat pants with the cotton sheet. Tsunade rushed around, grabbing as many towels and blankets as she could find, Kurenai dragging others in from the additional bedrooms. Kakashi returned to Iruka's side, grasping his lover's hand as the dark-haired man collapsed back against the pillows again, panting. The Jounin's mouth hung open a bit, unsure what he should say.

"Alright Iruka, I'm going to check you over. I doubt that it would be safe to transport you to the hospital at this point, but I need to see how far along you are," Tsunade said as swung her legs up onto the bed, crossing them as she lifted the sheet slightly.

Iruka hissed as one of her cold hands touched his thigh, making him cringe and shiver. Kakashi squeezed his hand in response, taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside him. He threw a glance over at Kurenai, who had just walked into the room with a bowl of water and a towel over one shoulder. She shot him a small smile as she set the bowl and towel beside the Hokage as she examined the Chuunin.

"This sure is going fast," Tsunade said breathlessly. "You're already fully dilated."

Kakashi paled. During Iruka's last few check ups, Kakashi had asked Shizune about what would happen when the time came for the birth. She hadn't been completely sure, considering the difference between Iruka's anatomy and women, but she tried to explain as best she could. Kakashi, despite his years in ANBU and as a Jounin, had felt somewhat sickened by it. The thought of Iruka having to push out a small creature was terrifying to him, but now he knew each stage and change of the birthing process.

"Any idea how far apart your contractions are?" Tsunade asked.

"Only a few minutes," Iruka croaked, his voice hoarse.

"On the next one, I want you to start pushing, okay?"

Iruka nodded, his dark hair lying and sticking to his sweaty forehead. Carefully, Kakashi brushed the stray hairs out of the way and grabbed the small black string that his lover usually used to keep his hair back. Pulling on the dark tresses, Kakashi gently tied them in a loose ponytail at the back of his neck, the usually smooth hair wild.

The next forty-five minutes were filled with deep groans, screams, and gentle attempts at consolation and encouragement. Iruka pushed and pushed, resting only when the contractions stopped for a few minutes before they began again. He was exhausted, practically weeping despite Tsunade's best attempts to sooth the pain. His claws dug into the skin of Kakashi's hand, drawing blood that dripped thickly onto the white sheets below, but the Jounin barely noticed.

Kakashi was focused entirely on his lover, not even noticing when Kurenai was sent away to fetch Shinobu. His free hand petted Iruka's shoulders, trying to sooth him without saying anything. Kakashi had never felt as hopeless, weak, or unsure as he did when Iruka lay in their bed, bleeding and sweating as he tried to push their child into the world. Although he felt regret for having not been there when Shinobu was born, he was in a way relieved as well. He didn't know if he would have agreed to a second child if he knew it was going to be like this. It didn't help that Tsunade was unable to give Iruka any real medicine to dull the pain that lanced through him. All she was able to do was direct it with her own chakra, trying to contain it as well as she could.

Finally, at 10:23 that morning, Iruka gave a loud scream as he pushed one last time. He felt something leave his body and he fell back, his vision darkening for a moment. A cry filled the room as Tsunade straightened up, a small baby wrapped in the towel in her arms. She shot the fathers a wide smile as she quickly cut the umbilical cord and began to clean and give the infant a quick check over.

Iruka tried to sit up, but Kakashi gently pushed him back down onto the mattress. The dark, tear-filled eyes turned up to his Jounin lover and the older man grinned widely. His long fingers brushed through Iruka's black hair as Kakashi pressed their forehead together. Slowly, Iruka's breathing settled back to its normal pace and he let his legs drop to the sheets, not caring at all about the fluids that were soaked into the cotton around him.

"Well boys," Tsunade said slowly as she came over to them, the child tight in her arms, "Take a look."

Carefully, she handed the baby over to Iruka, who cuddled the small form to his chest. Iruka broke into a bright grin, rocking the small baby slowly. The fists were curled up against the chest; eyes squeezed shut as the baby dozed. The skin was a faint pink color and a dark crop of black hair erupted from the scalp, as thick as Iruka's, but as wild as Kakashi's. Quietly, the baby yawned and Iruka growled softly in the comforting way that only a wild animal could to its young.

Kakashi rested his chin on top of Iruka's head, his silver gaze fixed on the baby in his lover's arms. He felt like he was in a trance, unable to tear his eyes away from the tiny form.

Suddenly, he realized that Tsunade was speaking and both fathers glanced up at her. She shot them a smirk and repeated what she had said.

"You have a daughter."

"A girl," Iruka murmured, his voice hoarse from screaming, but full of excitement and complete astonishment.

Tsunade nodded. "A perfectly healthy girl. About six pounds, I'd wager which is small for a second child. That's probably why you were able to have a natural birth rather than a C-section like you did with Shinobu."

"He was a lot larger than her," Iruka admitted.

"Do you have a name?"

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**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Review anyway.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: The final chapter has arrived! Phew! It took me a while to get here, but thank you for all the support from the loving fans of his story and hopefully, I'll see you enjoying my other, newer works, 'cause as always: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT!**

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Chapter 16

"Come on, Chichi! We're going to be late!" Shinobu shouted from the front hallway of the house.

Iruka sighed and fixed his son with a knowing stare, shaking his head. Shinobu threw up his hands and brushed his twitching fingers through his silver hair, trying to brush it down. Smirking, Iruka shooed his son's hands away and started fixing the wild spikes himself.

"Sixteen years of living with this hair and you still can't fix it for one occasion," the Chunnin teased.

The unruly teenager rolled his silver eyes. "Papa, Chichi has had his for a lot longer for me and his is a bird's nest."

"And I can guarantee that he never tried to change it," Iruka chuckled as his son's hair finally began to calm and lay flat.

It had been eleven years since Himura Utake's second attack on Konoha and ten since his execution, a death that was agreed on by all five Kages and the daimyos of each of the major countries. The man had been discovered hiding in the basement of a Rice Country inn and the ANBU who had found him had done it completely by mistake. He was coming back from a mission and stopped at the inn for a short rest, slipping into the basement through a small window that filtered out onto the street. When the ANBU had straightened up, he'd come face to face with Himura Utake, his village's number one wanted man. The Hokage met with the ANBU and Himura in a private meeting held in the torture dungeons below the Konoha jail and, from there, everything was over for the old Snow Lord Himura Utake.

This was all three days before the birth of Kakashi Hatake and Iruka Umino's precious daughter and it took another three days following for the Hokage to tell them of Himura's presence. Kakashi, who Iruka teased had become the stereotypical father of a daughter, had flown into a fury, demanding that the man be sent outside of Konoha where he wouldn't be an immediate danger to the Hakate's family. Tsunade had just laughed at him and his new attitude before agreeing. Himura Utake was sent to the Wind Country for the Kazekage to do what he wanted with him until the trial was set.

Since then, Iruka claimed, Kakashi's protective streak had only grown. Their daughter, surprisingly, wasn't overwhelmed by it, even when her father had nearly attacked Arata for giving her a small bundle of dandelions for her first birthday. She relished in it even, forming a connection with the silver-haired Jounin that was just as close, if not closer, than the relationship between Shinobu and his father.

And today was a very special day for the small Hatake family. Today was the day that their daughter graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy.

"Kashi!" Iruka shouted as he dropped his hands to his sides.

"Coming, Iru!" his lover responded, his voice slightly muffled.

Beside him, Shinobu shook his head and once again rolled his eyes. "Why is Chichi always so damn late to everything?"

"It's just one of those things. You know how your chichi is," Iruka laughed.

"I'm just glad I didn't get the trait of perpetual lateness from him," Shinobu said, grinning.

"No. Thankfully, you gained my almost obsessive punctual behavior," Iruka replied, setting his hands on his hips.

There was a crash and Kakashi came skidding around the corner. He stopped, brushed back his hair and calmly walked towards his family, holding up his hand in his usual greeting.

"I'm sorry that we're late. I was-"

Iruka shook his head and opened the door, motioning for Shinobu to go first. "No need to explain, Kashi. I know you well enough by now."

Under his mask, Kakashi grinned as he grabbed his lover's hand. They left the house together, trailing after Shinobu as their son led them through the village, Ever the social kind, Shinobu was saying hello to friends and acquaintances left and right, usually receiving congratulations from fellow ninja on his recent promotion.

Shinobu Hatake had followed his fathers in his career choices, becoming a Genin at age ten. From there, he had steadily risen in the ranks, becoming the only Genin in his year to be promoted to Chuunin within one attempt of the exams. After that, he had studied under Shikamaru, of all people, learning and training to become a leader as great as the Shadow Manipulator was. Not a week before their daughter's graduation from the Academy, Shinobu had been promoted to the rank of Jounin, a promotion that made both of his fathers swell with pride. Shinobu had become the third straight generation of Hatake males to make the rank of Jounin and every ninja in the village knew that he would someday become as famous (or infamous) as his chichi and grandfather had been before him.

As the Academy came into view, Iruka's heart started to pound wildly. The students, some of whom he'd taught in recent years after he'd returned to his position as an Academy Teacher, were mulling about the front courtyard, all chattering excitedly. Among them, Iruka could just make out the shock of silver hair.

When they reached the gates, Iruka pecked Kakashi on the cheek and walked over to the other teachers whom were standing beside the table of hitai-ate that were waiting to be handed out. They all nodded to him as he approached, turning to face the crowd of students now that all of the teachers were present.

"Today, you will all become ninja of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. From this day on, you will uphold our shinobi pride as your own and you must all remember to keep that pride in your hearts and minds always. The Ninja of Konoha are strong, swift, and resourceful. Never doubt your loyalty to the Hokage and you will succeed in your endeavors," one of the other teachers stated. "Now, when your name is called, you each will come up and received your hitai-ate, signifying that you have taken the oath of the ninja and have agreed to follow its path when it takes you."

The crowd before them nodded and Iruka held back a wide grin when he saw his daughter silently agree with the teacher's demands.

"Ame Kirihaga!"

Iruka watched as one by one, his students came up to the table and had the hitai-ate of Konoha tied around their foreheads. Each shot him a smile as they straightened up and dashed off to wait with the group of other inducted Genin. Each time, the group of parents and other spectators, including Tsunade herself, clapped for the student. Stealing a glance up at the tree behind the group of parents, Iruka spotted the shocking white and silver hair of his son and lover, neither of whom would permit themselves to stand in such a large group. They wanted a clear view of everything that was going on.

"Izumi 'Kyoha' Hatake!"

Iruka quickly looked back at the crowd of students as his daughter stepped forward, her silver eyes wide and bright. Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, smooth and thick like Iruka's. Kakashi's signature hair color, however, hadn't made itself scarce in their daughter. On the right side of her face, just beyond her eye was a large streak of shocking silver, the only part of her hair that she left free from the constraint of the ponytail. It fell to her collarbone, whipping wildly in the slight breeze that flitted across the courtyard. Her skin was the same tan as Iruka's and, while she was small for her age, she was strong, her muscles toned from their Ookami heritage. She walked silently and steadily up to the table, bowing to the teachers before lifting her head. As one of the others tied the hitai-ate around her forehead, she glanced up at her father who simply smiled at her.

Iruka watched as she jogged off to stand with the other Genin, his dark eyes following her as her silver and black tail, abnormally long like Iruka's own, swished with each step. Her claws glinted slightly in the light as the other newly made Genin welcomed her, unfazed by the extra appendage, the fur-tipped ears and the sharp canines.

As the ceremony progressed, Iruka could feel the pride emanating from his lover up in the tree in waves.

"We've turned out good children, haven't we?" Kakashi asked as they lay in bed that night, both naked and their bodies slightly sore from their lovemaking.

"I'd say so. Surprising, isn't it?" Iruka said.

"Never thought I'd even have children," Kakashi admitted. "I thought I would just screw them up."

Iruka shot his lover a sweet smile and squeezed his hand lightly. "You've done well, Kashi. We both have."

Rolling onto his side to face his lover, Kakashi nipped at the naked collarbone, biting softly as Iruka laughed and squirmed slightly under him. The Jounin planted his hand on his lover's hip, pulling himself up and over the dark-haired man. Staring down at Iruka, Kakashi smiled and kissed his softly, their lips moving together gently.

"How about we make another one?" he asked, moving to lick at Iruka's neck.

"Kashi, you're nearly fifty years old," Iruka teased. "You'll be an old man by the time this child graduated."

"Well perhaps, but I'll be a- wait, did you just say 'you'll' be? Like as in, 'will be?'" Kakashi asked, raising his head to look at his lover.

Iruka grinned and nodded, rubbing his stomach gently. With a smirk, Kakashi moved down his lover's body until he reached that smooth, flat plane of warm, tanned skin. Lavishing it with attention, he glanced up at Iruka. The other man had a content look on his face as he rested his once-moving hand on his upper abdomen, watching Kakashi with warm, dark eyes.

"How?" Kakashi asked. "You're in your forties."

"I sent a letter to Daiki and he told me that Ookami are capable of having children safety up into their fifties or even their sixties in some cases. Has something to do with our wolf sides and life expectancies," Iruka explained.

Nodding, Kakashi looked back down at the stomach beneath him, running his fingers lightly across the skin.

"Does anyone else know?" he asked.

Iruka shook his head. "Just Daiki, the kids, and now you."

"Wait, the kids know?" Kakashi asked.

"Probably the dogs too," Iruka laughed. "Pakkun knew I was pregnant with Izumi before I or Neji did. Canine sense of smell is strong, isn't it?"

With a huff, Kakashi gently kissed Iruka's taught skin, sliding his palms over it as he moved back up to hoover over Iruka. Reaching up, he brushed a stray lock of dark hair out of his eyes and pecked the slightly younger man on the mouth.

"Well, since we've already got one," he said slowly, "How about we show our newest child how much we love each other."

Iruka laughed as Kakashi practically attacked him, biting, licking, and kissing his ear. He grabbed Kakashi's hair gently, directing his lover. The Jounin grinned as he moved down to satisfy all of Iruka's needs. The Ookami sighed happily, arching his back as Kakashi sucked and played.

He couldn't have been happier with his life.


End file.
